Marley La Noux and her Band of Brothers
by redheadclover
Summary: Marley La Noux is the second Combat Medic for Easy Company, hoping to find some kind of meaning to her life that was at a standstill back at home. But once she is thrusted in war, she starts doubting herself. It'll take a Band of Brothers to convince her that she's beyond worth in their eyes, especially Private Liegbott who falls for her, and she falls for him back. (Liebgott X OC)
1. Chapter 1

"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven…."

The hands that were in my own were shaking, shaking like a leaf as I was reciting the Lord's Prayer aloud in the hospital room, my eyes closed and my mind was set on making sure the patient was nothing but at peace. This was my job, I was a nurse and I was supposed to take care of others before myself. I was used to it, I was bred for it. Hell, I knew this was the rest of my life.

My name is Marley La Noux. I am a nurse from the South, mainly Louisiana in the Southern bit where our tone was laced in Cajun and hospitality. I was born and raised on the Louisiana waters, my mother was a nurse before me and my father was a fisherman on boats. They met when my mother was singing in the local church choir and my father was tying to get his own life together. They were merely 18 when they met, and married a year later after careful negotiations from both sides of the family. I came into their lives another year later from being married, having my father's brown and red mixed hair and my mother's freckles and dark green eyes. I was a mixture of both the Southern Cajun French life on my father's side and Irish immigrant life from my mother.

When I was 6 years old, my brother was born, though he was born deaf. We had to learn Sign Language for his sake, though I didn't mind. I was always someone who needed to work with her hands, it felt better for me to do something than to sit and wait. So my brother and I bonded very quickly and were close throughout our childhood years. As for religion, I picked being a Catholic from my mother's side, though my father is still skeptical on religion and God. To this day I wear a saint's pendant on my necklace and my rosary was close to my side, no matter where I went.

It was a simple life, enough for me to learn what it meant to be a nurse. But it was too simple, much more than I needed. When I turned 20 years old, I applied to transfer from being a typical nurse in the local hospital into the army. They needed more nurses there, having me see the hesitance in my parent's eyes when I signed the papers to be an army nurse. But this was something I needed in my life, seeing the normalcy sink in and the hopes of something bigger to happen, something more fulfilling. The army seemed the best bet, then again it meant that I was putting my life on the line. I tried to think of the positive, that the role of the nurse was farther away from the front line of battle and I would be at a hospital away from the battle, nowhere near danger. I was placed on the waiting list for nurses, making me sit and ponder for 3 years if I made the right choice.

I knew I wanted to be a nurse, seeing my mother work with patients in the same hospital I was at when I was merely 23 years old, turning myself to be a old spinster since I myself never had a man in my life. Both of my parents wonder if I was ever going to be married, and I didn't care really. Picturing myself being married to someone, to sit still and not do a thing myself, was not was I had in mind for my life. My mother claimed that it was stubbornness, but my father knew better: a willing and fiery heart.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For thy is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever." I finished, looking down at the patient whom as fast slew and I smiled, placing his hands back on his chest and then taking his rosary from his hands back onto the nightstand next to him, feeling the cool sea breeze coming into the hospital room that was packed with plenty of patients, some of them were army men that came here on overflow. I walked away from the patient, looking down at my blue uniform, my pale freckles hands were contrasting against the dark blue apron I was wearing. It was a cool day in New Orleans, having me looking out at the setting sun that was coming down over the buildings in the city and realize that my shift was over for the day. It was time to go home. The day was normal enough for me: rewrapping bandages and setting IVs to new patients, along with plenty of paperwork.

"You off, Lanoux?" A co-worker of mine as me, having me look up and see her golden locks frame her face and her crystal blue eyes. She was a beautiful girl, happily engaged to a strong man who worked in the paper business, typical life for a girl our age.

"That I am Jones." I replied with my Cajun accent rang in the air, taking off my apron and folding it over my arm.

"Good to hear, I think you sounded great with that prayer." She explained, having me only smile and tap her on the arm.

"Thank you, _Cherie_." I said back to her with my french, hearing her giggle as I walk about the door. It felt nice to have the rest of the evening off and to have time on my hands. But before I could even get out of the hospital door in the lobby, I saw someone rushing in the lobby in a frantic rate. It was my own brother, Owen, whom looking rather flushed and rather out of place there in his street clothes. He should have been home since he was done with school for the day and helping my mother with the chores, so this looked rather serious. I waved at him to stop, hearing him breathing rather hard and out of place as he placed his hands on his knees, bent over to try and breath again. He looked more like my mother, dark brown chocolate hair that was short and styled and my father's blue eyes. He was handsome to say the least.

_What happened? _I signed to him, seeing him blink a few times when he looked at me then, still shaking.

_The army is at our house, two captain there. _I looked at him as he signed back, his hands moving in a frantic rate. I grabbed his hands, feeling them shake as he grunted with his signing, a typical thing he would do when he was either excited or scared.

_Go slow, tell me what it is_. I signed to him slowly and smoothly, having me seeing him take another deep breath before giving me a cold stare at me, showing something serious was happening.

_They are here for you, Marley._

* * *

><p>"You're the new nurse from Louisiana I take it?" Colonel Sink asked me as I was standing in front of him at me a new home: Camp Toccoa. After I was greeted at my home by two Captains, whom found my paperwork and thought of me as a new candidate for the Amry Nurses region at Camp Toccoa, I was sent off within a day with all I had in my pack and my family looking on in tears. I promised I would write, but I knew my life was about to take a new turn for the more exciting and more thrilling. Now there I was, in my new nurse uniform and my long hair in a french braid, down and over the shoulder as I waited for orders and more questions.<p>

"Yes Sir." I replied, hands behind my hands and standing at attention as he looked up at me from his spot.

"Let see now: Learned both French and Sign Language since you were a child, fair marks from schooling and you passing the nurses training as one of the top nurses in your class, let alone in the academy. From what I gathered here in your information, you signed up for transfer into the army about three years ago." He explained, placing my paperwork down in front of him, looking up at me which a stare that made me feel as though I was far too small, "Why would you want to leave New Orleans for the war, La Noux?"

"Never wanted to stay still in one place for too long, sir." I replied, still looking ahead and not giving him eye contact.

"Well, you'll experience that here." He replied, having me feel a small smirk appear on my face. He got up from his spot at the desk, walking over to stand right in front of me.

"We asked you to come here in Camp Toccoa in hopes of having a few more nurses on hand for training and any mishaps that could happen. We will evaluate and watch your work, and if you meet our expectations, then we can talk about having you overseas and working with us in England. Understand?" he asked me, having me feel my insides burst in both excitement and nervousness.

"Yes sir." I replied, seeing him look past me as I heard someone was walking into the cabin.

"Winters, glad you're here. This is our new recruited nurse from New Orleans Louisana: Marley La Noux. Marley, this is our 2nd Lieutenant Richard Winters." I turned and saw who came into the room. He was older than me, maybe in his thirties or forties, but he looked good for whatever age he was. His red hair was shining in the cabin light with his nice face as he smiled at me, having me smile back and hold out my hand for him to shake.

"Pleasure, sir." I said back to him, seeing him shake my hand.

"I heard we were getting another nurse in the camp, none the less a Louisianan." He commented to both myself and Colonel Sink, "Private Roe will be pleased,"

"Roe?" I asked him, noticing that the surname was in fact French. There were a couple of families with the name Roe around New Orleans, so the name was not foreign in the Cajun community

"He's from Louisiana, as well as you, though from another part I think." he explained, "Come on, I'll show you over to him." I followed, staying right behind him as we excited the cabin and went out into the light of the day, cooler than what I was used to back at home and with more trees than the bay area. The cool crisp trees were around the camp. having me see green and hear the chants of the soldiers going o routines and checks. I felt out of place, being a nurse in a sea of men and their orders being taken out.

"How long have you been a nurse, Private La Noux?" he asked me, having me look back in front of me and walk up to be next to him as we pressed on to the medical area.

"5 years sir, since I was 18." I replied to him, seeing him finally look over at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Since you were 18?" He asked amused, having me nod my head at him as if it was nothing, "Golly, never met a nurse who started so young."

"I'm not like other nurses, sir." I replied back to him, still in step with him. We were crossing a big clearing, where a group of soldiers was meeting together and talking to one another with big grins and looking more relaxed. I watched them with my eyes, having me see that they too were new to the army and were training here. I could tell: fresh faces and an optimism in their eyes and stance. But then they all saw me, pointing at me with intrigued eyes and amusement. Was I funny? Did I have something on my face or uniform? Id didn't seem like it since they were surprised that I was a woman here, having me think that they just of not seem a woman in months by now.

"That's Easy Company, I assigned to them. Don't mind them, Private La Noux, they're a ragtag group but with good intentions." Winters explained to me as I still watched them. They were wall talk to each other excitedly about me, I could tell. But one of them wasn't talking, though the others around him were. He looked lanky, compared to the others, with a longer face and a mess of brown hair on his head. He was watching me intently, but his eyes were warmer, as if they were soothing. His stare on me was less of amusement and more of intrigue, as if he was trying to figure me out already. Never before have I had to deal with something like this from another man, never once in my life.

I almost lost my stepping looking back at him, but I looked back ahead of me and saw myself and Winters at the Medical center of the camp. Winters walked into the cabin, having me follow and see the both of us in a small room with hospital beds, tin pans with equipment and all the tools we would need for both the camp and for war. I was pleased to be back in my own element at this point, having me see another private in the cabin rearranging some of the tools on one bed. He had black thin hair, though his face was more stern and serious but he looked gentle enough. Maybe too gentle for the war.

"Private Roe." Winter called, walking down the walk with me behind me. Roe looked over at both Winters and I, having me see him salute Winters quickly before placing the tools on the bed in a certain position before answering Winters.

"Roe, this is the new nurse that came in this morning: Marley La Noux. She's going to train here for Combat Medic out in the field as well as being trained for the army hospitals overseas." Winters explained, then looking over at me, "This is Private Eugene Roe, our Combat Medic for Easy Company. You'll be training with him throughout camp." I held out my hand for him to shake, seeing him arch me with his dark eyes carefully before shaking.

"Pleasure." I said to him, seeing him loo at me now with bigger eyes and a hint of fascination since he heard my Cajun voice.

"You from Louisiana as well?" He asked me, his own Cajun accent was thick in the medical cabin. I as beyond glad to have another Louisianan here in the mist of war, though we weren't even in the heat of it yet.

"New Orleans." I replied back, seeing him grin for the first time since our greeting. Smiling seemed to fit him well as Winters cleared his throat.

"I'll leave you two to get things ready. Dinner is in 1800." He reminded me, having me nod my head at him.

"Yes sir." I replied.

"Roe, show her the ropes and get her ready for training in the morning: 0600." He explained to Roe.

"Sir." he merely replied, having us both watch as Winters walked out of the door and left the both of us there in the medic cabin. It was still new for me, to be in the army as a US army nurse and helping out with the cause. I was in a new element with new trades to learn, but so far it didn't seem so bad as Eugene cleared his throat, clasping his hands together and looking up at me with his serious look again.

"Ready to start?" he asked me, a raised eyebrow at me as I nodded my head. It was now or never, and I and to choose now since I already jumped into the abyss that was the US army.

"Let's get to work."


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, it's dinner time." Roe said out to me as I finished up with a rolling of a bandage in my own personal pack. Since Winters left me to my own devices with Roe, the rest of the session was of Roe and I getting to know each other while packing up kits and rearranging the medical cabin. Since I was the only female in Easy company, I was giving my own boarding with some of the other nurses in the army that were stationed there as well, though I have yet to meet them yet. It meant that the dinner was going to be the time that I was going to meet the other men in Easy Company, suddenly having my nervous about seeing them and meeting them. Would they like me? Why am I freaking out about this? This was all new to me, since I was never one to openly flirt or be around men when it had nothing to do with the hospital duties. But now I was going to be working with them, and maybe, help save their lives on the battlefield.

"Are the men in Easy Company nice?" I asked him as we walked side by side through the clearing towards the mess mall. The cooler air was coming in with the early evening, having me see the darkness and the moon coming out from beyond the mountains. I saw Eugene smirk from his spot next to me, hands shoved in his jacket and his eyes straight ahead that had a glimmer of happiness behind those eyes.

"You're afraid of them being mean to ya?" He asked me with his thick accent, having me look over at him with my own raised eyebrow. Were they mean to new people? What about me, since I was in a fact a female in their company?

"Wouldn't they be?" I countered back at him, but he smirked and shook his head.

"Doubtful. They're alright, these guys. A bit on the wild side, but nice none the less." He explained as we were getting closer to the mess hall, having me hear the voices inside from the men, making my own butterflies become more and intense. Holy crap, I felt like I was about to go overboard here. We both walked into the mess hall, having me see the bright lights of the big mess hall and the clattering of the dishes and cups on the tables. I looked normal, at least I thought I did. I had my hair in loose curls down my shoulders, though it was long enough for a braid but short enough to not be too much trouble, and I was wearing my training nurse uniform with my heels and my jacket.

Some other men were looking over in my direction, seeing the medical cross on my arm like Eugene and then going back to eating off their plates and talking together. I must have been another female in their world, since nurses were probably regular to them. I even saw the nurses table at the middle of the room, all of the women there were talking to one another in more hushed tones and gentler grins. There must of been a rule between the males and females, and I was glad there was. Though I wasn't thinking that my safety was going to be a problem.

"Come on, let's get food." Eugene said to me, having me follow him over to the line in front of the food. I looked down at the food, knowing that this was going to be as good as it got. It was soup, a couple pieces of bread and water to drink down, along with an excuse for a salad. I didn't mind though, having me follow him like a lost puppy. In this case, I was since I didn't know anyone here at the mess hall. I must have looked like a fool next to him, though his body language showed that he did not seem to mind at all.

"Roe! Down here Doc!" I heard ahead of the both of us, having me see a table of men pointing over to Eugene and smiling, waving him over and laughing amongst themselves. I then felt Roe nudge me with his shoulder, the both of us walking over to the table slowly. The nurse's table is where I should be, but then again I saw that they were already intrigued with me, wanting me to join them. Eugene seemed to want me to join as well since he shoved me along with him without showing too much enthusiasm.

"Here, Roe. Grab a seat here with our new nurse." I heard a guy say out, moving over for both Eugene and myself to sit down with the group of men there. All of them were watching me now, frozen in their spots and not even eating their food. I then felt as though I was about to sent to the slaughter, since they were analyzing me on the spot. This was a first for me, the fear of rejection coming over me within a moment or two. Roe was next to me, looking first at the men and then right at me with a hint of worry in his face.

Within a moment or two of me sitting at the table, I saw the man directly across from me hold out his hand for me to shake. He was rather large compared to the other men, his stature was like a giant but he had a kind face on him.

"Hi Ma'am. I'm Denver Randleman." He said to me, having me shake his hand in response. I felt a bit better since he introduced himself to me, showing me kindness in this mist of meeting people for the first time. He seemed nice enough, and I smiled at him.

"Marley La Noux, pleasure to meet you." I replied to him, hearing the taking in of breaths of the other Easy Company men around the table as if this was a pure fascination to hear a woman and her accent in front of them.

"Another Louisianan? You must be beyond excited, Doc." I heard another man say in s smirk, having me hear laughs from the men as the same man held out his hand for me to shake, "George Luz, pleasure to meet another Louisianan." He then winked at me, having me hear a collected groan from the men, as if he has done this before.

"Don't mind him, he doesn't know when to shut his mouth from time to time, especially in front of women." Another man said, with flaming red hair and a hearty grin on his own face, "Donald Malarky. I'm kind of glad to see I'm not the only redhead in the Company anymore."

"Hey!" Denver said aloud in annoyance, but with a grin on his face.

"You don't count, Bull. You're strawberry blond." Malarky replied back in a snort, having me hear the rest of the men laugh in unison with him.

"So, you're from the Big Easy?" Denver asked me aloud, having me see the rest of the men look at me in interest.

"Born and raised, never been anywhere else." I replied back in a shrug, having me see head nod from my reply and another man, rather handsome to be honest, lean over to me on my left when Roe was on my right.

"From what Doc here told us, you know your medicine real well. How long have you studied medicine for?" He asked me in wonder.

"Since I was 18, went for the academy as fast as I could." I explained to him, seeing another man slap the questioning man on the back with a cooky grin.

"David Webster here's a scholar too." He explained, then pointing to himself with a grin to show his cockiness, "Joe Toye, pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Likewise." I replied, looking back to the men around and seeing myself more and more at ease with the whole situation.

"So, you thinking go going into combat with us?" Malarky asked me with a shrug of his shoulders, "I mean, if something does happen out there and we need help, who knows if Doc here can rise up to the occasion."

"Back off Malarky." Doc said back in retort, having me hear a bit of laughter form the group.

"We could use another field medic though, you know as well as we do Doc." Webster argued with him in a calm tone, though I saw Doc roll his eyes.

"I won't mind going into the field, better than staying behind a desk all day." I explained to him.

"A girl with a thirst for adventure, I like her already fellas!" Luz said aloud, having me hear more laughter and cheers from the men. I grinned as well, trying my hardest not to smile in front of him.

"Let's just hope that Sobel will let her in with us, since he's so uptight as it was with us." Denver commented, having me hear a collected amount of groaning from the group and having me look at him in confusion.

"Captain Sobel's a bit of a tyrant around here, our Captain in Easy company." Doc explained to me under his breath before he took a drink from his tin cup. I nodded to show I understood.

"He's more than a tyrant, Doc. The guy's a hot head out for blood." Toye commented in a bitter tone, having me feel a bit of his hatred radiate on me and making me wish that the conversation was bit more pleasant than before.

"You're the one that's hotheaded, Toye." I heard from across and down two men, having me look to see who it was as the men went back to eating. It was the man, the same one who watched me walk with Winters to the Medical cabin. The lanky figure and the longish face, the same brown hair that was moved to the side and his face making him look so long. But I shouldn't call him a man since he still looked like he was merely 22 or even 21: young and reckless. He smiled at me, a cocky smile that had one side of his face up and the other was munching on his food. For some reason, my insides got a bit warm from just looking at him.

"Oh Liebgott, ever the optimist." Toye said in grimace as he shoved food in his mouth.

"Well, better me being the optimist than being a dick like you." Liebgott replied smoothly, a cackle of laughter from the men erupted as the man named Liegbottt as he ate some more and then looked at me again, his eyes looking right into me, as if he was trying to read me and figure me out from his own spot at the table.

"So, La Noux…" He paused, having me watch him carefully as I was eating my own food, thinking that now I was on trial with the boys now more than ever, "Why do you wanna be in the army?"

"Way to beat around the bush there Liebgott and I wonder how you make friends around here anyways." Denver said in a low tone, having me wave him off from seeing the uneasiness in Denver. Sure, the guy was blunt, and I just met him for the first time officially. He seemed like the kind of guy that didn't really care where I came from, but he wanted to know why. Of all things, why.

"It's not a problem." I replied back to Denver, seeing him as well eye me with interest as I turned my gaze back over to Liebgott who was still waiting for an answer. What was I going to day to him? Other than the fact that I wanted out of my own home and find out my true purpose in this world. But then again, I doubted he wanted to hear something like that.

"I've always heard army men were easy." I said in a cocky tone, having me hear nothing at first from the whole table as I took one large drink from the tin cup. But then I heard the whole table roar in laughter, having me have a sense of relief as Webster clapped me on the back and the others nod in agreement.

"Oh, geez boys. Not only is she attractive as hell, she can give just as much lip as Leigbott here." Luz said in a grin, having me hear more laughter as we ate some more. Somehow the dinner wasn't so bad after all, with some new men that I would have to work with and help out later on in the future, it all made me feel more at peace with the situation.

This wasn't going to be so bad after all.

* * *

><p>After dinner was over, I was walking back with Eugene over to the Medical Cabin where I was going to stay with the other nurses whom I was going to meet with Eugene in the morning with our own training. The dinner with the Easy went off without a hitch, having me feel more at ease. I knew that I and to go write to my parents and Owen as soon as I got back to my own barracks, though I knew I had to get sleep from getting up early in the morning to start the day. Every guy that I talked to and got to know already saw me as one of their now, but was I really? Not at all, since I was only a nurse assigned to them: nothing else really.<p>

"La Noux." I heard behind me, having both Doc and I looked and see that it was in fact Liebgott walking over to us, his hands in his pockets and having me hear the twang in his voice as he called me out. His voice, though it sounded rough, also sounded gentle and soothing a bit as I felt Eugene place a hand carefully on my arm, as if he was silently asking me if I was okay.

"I'm fine, Doc." I replied back to him, seeing him nod his head at me.

"Just be back before the Captains make their rounds out here for curfew." He explained to me, then looking over at Liebgott.

"Doc." Liebgott replied back in a causal tone. Doc then walked off without me, going back into the medical building and leaving me there with him. I felt as though I should first apologize to him for making that remark to him, but he beat me to the punch.

"I wanted to apologize for jumpin' down your throat back there." He said to me, his voice was still a bit rough but with a hint of gentleness in it. I shifted from one foot to another, moving my hair from my eyes thanks to the wind around us.

"No need, you were just trying to get to know me." I replied back, seeing him still look hesitant about it, eyeing me suspiciously and it had me wonder why. But then I realized, seeing my hands in front of me: I was signing as I was talking.

"What was that?" he asked me bluntly, having me grin and keep my hands in front of me.

"I know Sign Language." I explained, signing as I talked to him slowly. He watched my hands and then looked up at me, "I learned when I was little, since my kid brother's deaf I had to talk to him somehow." He then was quiet again, clearing his throat and cracking his knuckles before he went on.

"I'm not that great when it comes to talking to…" He trailed off, looking a bit odd when I knew what he wanted to say.

"Talking to girls?" I asked while brushing my thumb across my jaw, the sign for _girl_. It made my accent for the word "girls" become thicker, "Women?"

"Way to make me feel better about the whole apologizin' thing." He retorted back to me in a snort, but he smile when he said it. I smiled too, seeing that he was cocky but none the less kind.

"It's okay, I have no real way to talk to guys on my end." I explained, seeing him eye me from his spot a bit away from me, the same look that I received when we saw each other for the first time. But now I was more intrigued with the stare he was giving me.

"Why do you do that?" I asked him with a tilt of my head, having me see him look at me in confusion now.

"Do what?" He asked me in wonder.

"Stare at me like that, like I'm something out of a movie for something." I pressed him, seeing him think for a moment before he realized what I was talking about. I waited for some kind of answer, then he nervous rubbed the back of his neck before answering me.

"You're a breath of fresh air around here." He merely replied, having me lose my own voice from chairing him say that. He of me in that manner? A breath of fresh air? Not one guy ever in my life has ever passed a compliment in that big of a way, and it felt big to me. Maybe because it was my first real day in the army and I was trying to find my place, though that was still questionable. Either that or it was the cocky lanky Jewish kid who looked like he never took crap from anybody that said it to me. For some reason, he saw something in me that was rare and good, was it good?

"And you say you were never good to talking to girls." I commented back, seeing him crack and grin and we both laugh. That small moment between us was small enough to pass us by but big enough for me to remember. I watched him hold out a hand for me to shake since apparently we were never really introduced to one another.

"Joseph Liebgott." He said to me, having me smile widely at him and then shake his hand in my own. I felt the cool hand against my own. This felt the start of a good friendship between the both of us, even if we were at war.

"Marley La Noux."


	3. Chapter 3

"These are the kind of bandages that we will be using within both the field and the hospital." Our head nurse explained as we were all sitting in our own session at the Medical cabin, well, outside since it was so nice that we would not have to be inside most of the days. After about a couple more days of getting into the routine, I was used to life on the camp now than I ever did before in the first day there. The nurses were very kind to me, helping me out with the usual tasks around the cabin and making me feel right at home. They too were from all over the states, and I was the youngest there. The rest of the women there were at least 28 or 29, if not older. I didn't mind being the youngest, it made me have more of a challenge to keep up with them since they haven been nurses for years before I was even allowed to be a nurse.

After meeting the men from Easy Company, I got to eat with them at meals and sometimes hang out with them during our free time when I wasn't researching more in the medical field. They were all so warm to me, though I never felt any kind of hostility from them since I was a woman. They treated me with kindness and respect, as if I was one of the guys but with not as much roughness as they would each other. And I got to know each of them as well: Luz with his humor, Randleman with his kindness from his big stature, Malarky with his quick wit, Webster and his scholarly ways and how he loves to read and Toye and his fiery attitude.

In which it left me with Liebgott, the cocky young man who knew how to both crack a joke and to bring ease to a situation. We would talk every once in awhile, getting to know each other and livening up the mood in the mist of war. Something about being near him and hearing his voice, it brought me peace of mind and a sense of serenity. I had no idea how he was doing this to me, but something about being around him and knowing more and more about him made me feel more normal. I was slowly becoming a part of the Easy Company, no longer an outsider.

Eugene was training with the rest of Easy Company in the afternoons, and he too would come and help out in the morning with the nurses and learn more in the classes. There was a handful of male medics in the camp, but most of them had their own classes that combined medical training and combat training. Doc would go to both classes though, since he was so serious in keeping his job and making sure no one would take it, I could see the intensity in his eyes. We would sit together during the classes, and every once in awhile I would whisper something in French to him since we both knew the language. That was another thing that I liked about Eugene, the fact he knew French and we would talk to each other in the language every once in awhile.

This day was actually a Friday, having me hear the chants and the drills from the other captains around the camp and seeing the blocks of privates on the grass and fields. Doc and I were in the front row of the male and female nurses as we were watching the tutorial on bandages and wapping wounds out on the field.

"You have your primary bandages that will be used for the common wounds.." The Head nurse, Sandra, went on as she showed each bandage to us. I was taking notes with my pad on my lap, Doc doing the same on my left. The sun was tight on our faces and giving us a sense of warmth as I was wearing my training nurse outfit, Doc in his uniform with the jacket undone and his hair ruffled. We were going into our second hour of class, having me look over at Easy Company and watch from y spot as they are taking another round of abuse and assault from Captain Sobel. I only met the man once or twice, and from what I was told from the rest of the company, he was a tyrant. Even meeting him was a bit of a fear, since he only looked at me as another number in his lineup of men in Easy Company.

"Êtes -vous attention?" Doc whispered to me as I looked over at him, away from our boys and then back in front of us to show that I was watching Nurse Sandra whom was getting out the heavier bandages and talking about the protocol with those as well.

"Il ne semble pas bon pour nos hommes." I replied under my breath, having me see Doc look over at Easy Company as well, having the both of us hear him yelling at several of the members before giving a command for them to run up the mountain, again. I sighed, feeling a bit bad about the whole thing since there were at his mercy.

"Ils sont forts, ne vous inquiétez pas trop ma chérie." Doc said under his own breath as I shoved him slightly in the shoulder for using a nickname on me, having me grin at him as I wrote down some more notes and then looked over at Easy Company, whom all loved rather grave as they started to get ready for the run up the mountain. They all walked over to their cabin, having me see the grave look on their faces. Especially Liebgott, who was talking to Toye under his breath and then looked over at me from my spot next to Doc. When we make eye contact, I saw him smirk and give me a small wink with his eye, having me immediately look away from him and back at the Head Nurse. He winked at me, or all people and of all the nurses on the camp. Why me? And why was I blushing from that simple gesture? After a moment or two I looked back over at him, seeing him still smiling but not at me anymore. He was looking at the ground as if it was a personal victory that he made me blush.

"Bon travail cacher la rougeur." Doc commented to me, having me wish that I could punch him in the stomach from his remark, but I went back to the class that was being held. I tried to get my mind back to the class and how we were talking about the minor bandage wrappings that were common on the field, but I was still thinking about that smirk, the signature smirk on his face when he was either satisfied or getting a personal victory.

I just wondered where I was in that smirk: a satisfaction with him or a personal victory?

* * *

><p>"Nurse?" I heard at the front of the medical cabin, having me look up from my paperwork that I was working on. Sitting on my bed indian style with the paperwork on my lap, going over the rent recruit's medical records and giving them approval if they were safe enough to jump and be paratroopers. It wasn't what I had in mind signing up for nurse duty, but I knew it came with the job.<p>

Placing the paperwork on my cot, I walked over to where I had my jacket hung on the wall and swung it on. Hanging on my jacket was my Nurse's saint coin, something I picked up when I was around 19 after my first year at the hospital I was working at, giving the patients a reassurance that I too was religious and I would help out when needed when it came to prayer. Walking over to the main area were the line of cots were, I saw two soldiers walking in, both of them were Privates. One of them was Toye, who looked pale in the face. But the other was in fact Liebgott, who was bringing him in with one arm around his shoulder and the other on his hip, holding him up.

"Private Toye, Liebgott. What happened?" I asked them both, helping Toye get on a cot that was closest to him and having me see him go green in the face.

"We were coming back down from our run up the mountain with Captain Sobel and the rest of the company and Toye got sick, ma'am." Liebgott explained to me as I felt Toye's head: cold and clammy. I grabbed a spare towel from the bin on his nightstand that was filled with cool water and dabbed it in, placing it on the back of his neck and watching him.

"How do you feel Private Toye?" I asked him in my gentle tone, seeing him looking up at me, paler than before and breaking a sweat on his forehead and around his cheeks.

"Like I'm about to puke all over the place, ma'am." He growled at me, making me smirk and walk over to the other side of the cabin, grabbing a pale from the ground and dusting it off.

"I don't think La Noux would like that you know, Toye?" Liebgott said aloud in a amused tone, having me grin as I walked back to Toye, placing the bucket in his clammy hands.

"Don't start, Liebgott." He threatened, placing his head in the bucket and taking a few deep breaths.

"What did you have for lunch?" I asked him, placing a hand on his back and feeling him curl against the hand that I used.

"Clam chowder" Liebgott replied to me in a grimaced face, having me nod my head and grimace myself.

"That would do it. With that in your stomach and running for 3 miles, you might have caught a bug from the food you ate. Why did he have you run already so early today?" I asked Liebgott as I wiped my hands on the spare towel on the nightstand.

"He saw a couple of our mistakes in our uniforms, as usual." He replied in a shrug, having me then eye him from my spot with Toye between us.

"And I suspect that he wants to order you to come here with Toye and stay with him?" I asked him in an amused tone, seeing him look back at me with more seriousness and less amusement. But a small smile was at the corner of his mouth, the smirk that I grew found of.

"I volunteered ma'am." I was confused for a moment then, thinking why would he want to come here and be with Toye, whom he had no great relationship with compared to the others in our Company.

"To get yourself out of training?" I asked him, pressing in some more as to the real reason.

"Well that, and to see you." I paused them when he said that, as if he had no shame in the matter. I didn't know what to say or think about when he said it such a way that it was normal. It didn't phase him, but why was it phase me. Why would he want to see me? I then looked down at Toye seeing him still looking rather sick to the bone and I sighed, getting up from the cot and walking over to get his paperwork from the files in the back.

"I'm writing to Captain Sobel to have him stay here for the night to get better. I doubt he wants a sick Private in his Company." I explained, walking back over to stand in front of the two boys and write up the note for Captain Sobel.

"That's not a good idea, Ma'am—" Liebgott started, but I looked up at him.

"Marley." I said, having him look at me with surprise in his eyes, "Call me Marley."

"Marley…" he started, having me now love to hear him say my name with his voice, it was almost heavenly, "Captain Sobel is not going to like having Toye sit out from one of his drills, the guy's a lunatic."

"Then he can deal it with me and the other nurses here who are required to give proper treatment to the soldiers here in order to have them be at their best or combat and training." I explained to him, handing him the note as he stood up to face me. I watched as he looked down at the note, the smirk was back on his face as he looked back at me, placing the note folded neatly in his jacket pocket.

"You're something else, you know that?" He asked me, having me shrug my shoulders.

"I tend to be." I merely replied.

"Honest to God, you're not like the other nurses. I don't think any of them is as brash as you, and you seem to not care about our Captain and his feelings towards this." He explained some more, amusement in his tone as I tried so hard not to smile big from what he told me.

"I just do what I have to do for the Company." I confessed, folding my hands in front of me and having him eye me once more. I then smoothed out my uniform just to find something to do before I looked back at him.

"So, you're last name." I said aloud, having me see him raise his eyebrow to me in amusement.

"What of it?" He asked me back, having me smile at him to show him I meant no harm.

"It's Austrian, isn't it?" I asked in curiosity. He nodded his head as I saw Toye roll on the bed, leaving the bucket behind on the floor and closing his eyes in defeat.

"My parents are from Austria, but they moved to Michigan before I was born, and then to Frisco when I was little." he explained as he sat on a spare bed, across from a passed out Toye and he looked up at me, "And La Noux is French?"

"That it is," I replied back, sitting next to him and smiling, "My grandparents on my dad's side immigrated from France before my dad was born, and my mother's parents from Ireland."

"So you know French then?" He asked me aloud with a hint of fascination in his voice.

"Oui , toute ma vie , je savais français" I replied back to him, seeing him grin from ear to ear as I then pointed to him, "And you know German I take it?"

"Ich bin der Übersetzer." He spoke in perfect German, having me beam at him, having me see more to him than what I saw before. Right after he spoke that to me, I heard footsteps at the head of the cabin, having the both of us look up and shoot up from the bed, seeing Winters there with another Lieutenant with him. We both threw up a salute at the both of them as they walked over to us, looking at a passed out Toye and then over at me.

"Private Liebgott, Nurse La Noux. How's Private Toye?" Winter asked me aloud with a hint of concern in his voice, though the rest was smooth and causal.

"He must have had a bad helping from the food, it seems to be food poisoning and I doubt he'll be able to attend anything else for the rest of the night." I explained to him, having me then place Toy'e feet the right way on the bed as I heard a groan from the other man there.

"Captain won't be pleased." He warned Winters.

"We can handle him, Nixon. Thanks for the update, Ma'am. Liebgott, let's give her space to work with him and get him better." Winter said to the group, having me watch the three men make their way down the row of cots as I got another towel from the water bin on the nightstand, having me ring out the access water and place it on his head. But as I was doing this, I heard something behind me, coming from Liebgott as he was about to leave the cabin. It was an undertone of voice, saying it under his breath, but I could hear it from my spot.

"Sie sind schön" I looked back to see what he meant, but he left the cabin before I could ask. I had no idea what he said, but he said it in such a way that felt more like sincerity and peace than anything else. As if he was making a proclamation, though I had no idea of what. It made me wonder, really wonder…

What else was there to Joseph Liebgott.


	4. Chapter 4

"You wanted to see me sir?" I asked aloud to Colonel Sink as I stood at attention in his cabin, having him look down at my folder once more as he looked up at me after a moment or two of silence. I had some thought as to why I was there: the incident with Toye. He must have heard me telling Liebgott and Winters about my concerns with him going back out into the field because of his sickness. Maybe Captain Sobel saw my note and thought it was a step out of line, and he was now getting me in trouble.

"That I did." Colonel Sink said aloud, having me then hear the door behind me open and close. I stayed still, keeping my eyes to the front as I saw from the side Captain Sobel stand next to me and salute the Colonel. He looked just as fierce as I saw him with Easy Company in training: a stern look on his face and a jawline that could make any man shake in their boots. I felt a wave of fear coming through me as Colonel Sink kept talking.

"I was informed by your Captain that you requested to keep Private Toye from going through the rest of his training because of his condition, is this correct?" He asked me as I kept my eyes ahead of him, having me take a somewhat big breath before answering him.

"Yes sir." I replied, "Private Toye was not fit enough to go into training and his physical health would have been in danger if he returned to combat."

"Private Toye did not need to have any kind of medical attention, sir." Captain Sobel said from his spot next to me, having me feel a sudden urge of hate coming from him since I went against his order, indirectly. A part of me wanted to yell at him that he was not right in this, but I had to hold my tongue and keep my place. I was a nurse, nothing more.

"He ran 3 miles after receiving a bad case of food poisoning sir, in which his body had no choice but to act in the way it did in order to take out the food poison in his body." I calmly explained to Colonel Sink, who kept his eyes on me as I went on, "With his condition, going through more training would have left him in more of a medical risk than ever. He needed rest, sir."

"It was still uncalled for to have him out of training without my personal consent." Captain Sobel countered back, his eyes were still on Colonel Sink, but I could tell he was about to get this personal on me, making me his own personal target.

"It's the duty of a nurse to give aid to a soldier and if necessary stop the soldier from doing anything that would bring a risk to his or her health." I declared aloud to Colonel Sink, my voice was a bit bolder and with a hint go annoyance since I thought of this argument as ridiculous. I watched Colonel Sink look from Sobel to me, and back at him, for at least a moment or two before he then spoke up again.

"I asked you here specifically because I have watched your work in the medical wing here at Camp Toccoa, and you are exceeding far beyond our own expectations. I was giving praise from Lieutenant Winters himself on making you a second combat medic alongside Eugene Roe." He explained, having me freeze in my spot and I tried so hard not to give into my real emotions from what I was feeling.

"Sir." Captain Sobel started, having me hear a hint of shock in his voice though he tried to compose himself, "With all due respect."

"In which I won't receive it," Colonel Sink said back to him immediately, having me see Sobel go quiet, "I'm going to have to rethink the fact that you were really considering asking me to punish a medical nurse, whom has had medical experience for about 5 years, for letting a private rest from extensive exercise?" I heard nothing from his rant, having me wonder what was going on in his head at that moment. Was it fear? Or maybe it was an embarrassment, I had no clue. But I remained composed, trying to hide the fact that I wanted to celebrate my own personal victory.

"She had made a valuable and needed decision, even if it was without your own personal consent. At this point in the war, I would rather have more soldiers alive and healthy than fewer soldiers who died from something that could have been fixed easily, including rest." Colonel Sink continued as he got up from his desk, looking from Captain Sobel over to me and having me see him give me an intense stare.

"I am still going to take into consideration having you train with the Easy Company men in combat and survival, but for now continue your work in the medical cabin, and let you Captain know for now on if there is another medical issue with a Private. Understand?" he asked me, his voice was no longer stern but cooler with the same intense leadership tone behind it. I saluted him then.

"Yes sir." I replied, having me see him nod his head at me once.

"Dismissed." I walked out of the cabin without looking at the Captain, whom I could tell was giving me looks of death as I went back out into the open air and saw the cool sun in the blue sky. I sighed in relief, wanting to take in a deep breath in thoughts that I was in trouble. But far from it.

"Oi, Red!" I heard ahead of me, having me see The Easy Company boys looking over in my direction. It made me feel the warmth as they were using a new nickname on me, though I was still wondering why they chose Red over anything else. I walked over to them, my hands still shaking from the recent events that just happened and I smiled at them. We met in the middle of the clearing, all of us in a cluster and they were watching me.

"Bull told us that he saw you go into the Colonel's cabin." Luz explained, "What happened in there?"

"Yeah and why was Sobel in there with you?" Liebgott asked me, his voice was less interested in why I was there and more along the lines of annoyed that I was left in the cabin with Sobel. He didn't look too pleased about it as if it bothered him.

"He was trying to punish me for helping Toye out with his sickness," I explained to the group of boys, having me see them shake their heads in retaliation and disapproval.

"That's bullshit!" Toye said aloud, having me grin from his antics, "I was sick because of that bastard in there!"

"Cool it Toye." Malarky said to him, placing a hand on his shoulder to hold him back from being too hotheaded, "What did Sink say anyways?"

"He let me go with a warning." I replied to him, having me see the rest of the boys look at me in pure shock. Even Liebgott was shocked from standing next to Bull, "But he also is thinking of promoting me."

"Promoting you?" Webster asked with a raised eyebrow, having me nod my head at him.

"All be damned." Luz said in his signature grin, "To what? Being his personal medic for now on?" The boys laughed from his remark, having me smirk as well from the sheer thought. I would ever take any kind of promotion that left me to the personal nurse of Colonel Sink.

"Combat nurse." I said aloud, having the whole group whoop and cheer from hearing the news. I felt a hug or two from the boys as a congratulations and approval for what they heard.

"Way to go, Red. You'll be shooting sharp for sure." Bull praised me as he gave me a side hug, having me feel the warmth from it.

"This coming from the guy who knows how to shoot guns better than the rest of us." Frank Perconte said in a snorting tone, having the rest of the boys erupt in laughter. It felt good to talk to the boys in a way that I had no fear in how they were viewing me. I was slowing becoming one of them now, one of the men of Easy Company though I was far from being as much as a soldier than they were becoming.

"Come on boys, let's go tell Doc the good news. I bet he's going to love it!" Luz said in a grin, having me see Bull smack him on the back of the head as the group walked, me towards the back with Liebgott. I still felt a bit off with the whole situation with Captain Sobel, having me feel as though I was about to be personally pushed by him from just hearing the venom in his voice to try and bring me down. No wonder the other boys at Easy Company didn't like him at all, and I only got a small taste of it.

"You think about taking the promotion?" Liebgott asked me under his breath so that I could only hear it.

"Maybe, though I need to think about it some more." I replied, then looking over at him and seeing a rather bitter look on his own face.

"Liebgott?" I asked him, shoving him with my shoulder and see him look over his shoulder back at the cabin once more, having me look as well and notice that it was Captain Sobel who was coming out of the cabin with his own bitter look on his face and he looked like he was about to slam his fist into a wall.

"He didn't do anything to you while you were in there, did he?" He finally asked, looking back in front of us and having me see the sourness on his face. Wait a minute, he was worried about me, in there with the Captain? I was a bit shocked to hear that, having me stare at him intently as we walked with the rest of the group a bit ahead of us.

"Why would he? Colonel Sink was right there." I explained to him shortly, having me see him shake his head in bitterness.

"Yeah, but he personally wanted to make sure you were punished right?" He asked me, pressing into the subject that I didn't want to think about anymore. I sighed, grabbing his jacket and having the both of us spot, staring at each other and having me see the heat in his eyes and how he too wanted to punch a wall.

"Liebgott, nothing happened in there….and I don't think anything else is going to happen at all since he is, in fact, a Captain." I reassured him in my hushed tone, having me watch me as I explained to him, "And if he does try to find some kind of way to punish me, he's gonna have to try as hard as hell."

"You sound so sure of yourself there, Red." He murmured to him, having me grin at him and release his jacket from my grasp.

"I'm no pushover for anyone, Liebgott." I reminded him, about to walk away and rejoin he group that was about outside the medic cabin.

"Joe." He said, having me look over my shoulder at him, seeing my bangs fly in the wind across my face. He walked over to join me as we walked together.

"Call me Joe."

* * *

><p>"You'd think they would learn anytime soon." I heard another nurse, Bethany, say aloud as I looked up from my spot at the back of the medic cabin. She was looking over another soldier, who went deaf after a defected gun went off close to his ear and he could no longer hear. He was trying to hard to understand what we were saying, I could tell in the frantic look on his face and how he was grasping her hand to get her to talk to him. But she knew he was deaf, gone and without any noise in his ears.<p>

"Soldiers are going deaf left and right, and the next thing you know they'll walk right onto a landline without even hearing the calls from their company." Bethany explained as she walked away from the soldier who was now just quiet, looking at the ceiling with his own doom looking over him. Bethany was in her mid fifties, one of the eldest nurses that were also a veteran to army nursing. She went through more in World War One as a young nurse and she saw ally hat happened in front of her from her spot in the hospital. I had more respect for her than I ever thought I would since she showed me knowledge and kindness on the nursing side of this whole new adventure.

"How many men do you think have gone deaf from the war?" I asked her out of curiosity.

"Too much for my liking." She replied, having me think to myself for a moment or two. It was, in fact, bad that soldiers were dying left and right because they are going deaf and not being able to hear or understand what was around them. They had no way of communication, no way to talking to having someone be able to talk to them. It made me wonder, how could we fix that, and how can we prevent even more deaths. For some reason, I thought of my brother and how he too was deaf and needed help with communication. Then it hit me, like a ton of bricks.

"Bethany, what would you think of helping me with deaf soldiers and teaching them a language?"


	5. Chapter 5

"No, try it this way." Doc explained, sketching it out in front of me as we both were working out the different stitchings that we were going to have to use on the soldiers once the war as started. It was an early afternoon at Camp Toccoa, and we were going over some of the usual protocols. After almost telling Captain Sobel off when it came to his authority and my own, I now had a huge target on my back. But I had other things to worry about and think about: my new idea for the deaf soldiers. Since I thought about teaching them, or at least helping them, it has always plagued my mind and made me more excited and nervous to talk to Winters about it since he was recently promoted to 1st Lieutenant.

He showed me his drawing of the stitching that we were going to have to use on a server wound from a gunshot. I looked at it from my spot next to him, hunched over the table and seeing how the drawing looked and where the stitches were supposed to be. IT was nice to have Eugene Roe as a good friend in this kind of work. We were now good friends at this point, he even praised me for the decision I made about Toye though he was still a bit worried about how I handled myself with Sobel.

"Oh, I get it now." I said back to him, moving my hair from my eyes as I pointed to the drawing he made, "This have to go inward instead of the branching out manner that was good for the elementary stitching."

"Right." Roe agreed, moving up to stand from behind hunched over and cracked his back, rubbing his eyes and having me look over at him as well. Within the last couple of days, since he would come back from training with Sobel and the Easy Company.

"You need to sleep, Doc." I warned him gently as I took the sketchbook we both had, sitting on the counter in front of him and started to imitate the sketch he did with the stitching.

"If only I could, Sobel's been running us super hard with drills and runs. I swear I think I could collapse within a moment or two." He explained as I looked up at him, seeing the weariness in his eyes and how his own body language showed defeated. He maybe be training as a soldier, but he was more of a medic than a solider. That made me think that I would have to go through the same thing myself if I was going to receive the promotion.

"You're doing good with the training, you know that right?" I asked him as I placed the book on the table next to my legs and I watched him, seeing him nod his head.

"Thanks for the encouragement Red." He thanked, having me smirk at him for using the nickname on me. I never thought he would eve use that with me, but I knew the other boys would. Roe was different though: He was more serious with me and made me think of him as an older brother. He looked out for me when we were learning in class and practices.

"Since when do you call me Red?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, fixing the pin in my hair that held my bangs away from my face in order for me to work. The rest of my hair was down, getting long after being here for so long and not having a moment to trim it.

"Don't really remember." Doc replied in a shrug of his shoulders, having me see a small smile on his lips. He knew how to be light and playful around me at times, though most of the time he was beyond serious and had more of a logical mind.

"I prefer if you keep calling me Marley." I explained, having me see him look at me in confusion.

"Why is that?" He asked me, thinking that I offended him for using that nickname with me. I didn't mind him using a nickname with me, but it was the fact that we had a different relationship with each other compared with the rest of Easy Company. I liked having that special relationship with him, and I think he felt the same.

"I just like you using my name." I said in a shrug of my shoulders, having me see him look down at his feet and then have a grin on his face, "Besides, I think you can think of a better nickname for me."

"Whatever you say, _gingembre_." He commented back in his accent and grin, having me playfully smack him on the shoulder and hearing him snicker.

"Since when am I ginger?" I asked him, pointing to my head, "Like this is ginger."

"It looks like it from here!" He said, throwing up his hands in defense and having me stick my tongue out at him in playful banter. It was soon short lived when I saw Winter come in, having both Roe and myself stand back up completely and salute him as he walked over to stand in front of the both of us.

"At ease." He replied after a moment or two. We both then stood there with our hands behind our back and waited for him, "I'm here to give you some news about our upcoming trip to Fort Benning. Colonel Sink has asked me to tell you that he is willing to grant you the promotion to be a combat nurse alongside Roe here for Easy Company." I smiled at him though I tried to hard not have it look so huge and make me look ridiculous.

"Thank you for sir." I replied to him, my smile was no longer huge and down to a smirk. I even saw a small smirk on Roe's face from the side, showing that he too was happy to hear the news.

"And with that, you're going to start your training with me at Fort Benning since Colonel Sink is convinced that working with me and not with our Captain is more efficient for you. You'll still be training with the nurses there." Winters went on, having me nod my head once at him and still feel good about the news. But then I remembered something that I wanted to ask him.

"Permission to speak sir." I said aloud, having both Eugene and winters look at me with surprised looks. I felt a though I should have voiced what I was willing to do, it was now or never. He could shoot me down, but I had no clue until I voiced it to him.

"Granted." Winter said cautiously as I took in a deep breath.

"With your permission sir, I wish to help with the soldiers who are going deaf because of injuries on and off the field of battle." I explained, having me see him still watch me and shift from one foot to another, crossing his arms in front of me and looking more comfortable. So far so good.

"I'm listening." He said aloud, having me carefully take my hands from behind me back and fold them in front of me. I could seed Eugene next to me, silently telling me with his eyes that he was listening too. Both of them were interested in what I was cooking up.

"With soldiers going deaf on the battlefield, they are more prone to death because they cannot communicate or hear anything around them, including airborne attacks and grenade alerts close to them." I explained some more, keeping my enthusiasm about the subject on a lower tone and more professional, "If we don't help with the soldiers who don't have a way of communication with their officers and fellow soldiers, then we can lose more lives than we can ever imagine."

"What did you have in mind?" He asked me, still intrigued about the conversation.

"I can teach them Sign Language." I could hear a pin drop in the room as I waited for Winters to say something, anything. But he looked a bit shocked from what I was saying to him, to get permission for me to teach Easy Company how to use Sign Language in order to protect ourselves against any kind of danger or other hurdles in front of us in the future.

"Sign Language." He repeated, trying to make sure he got it right.

"Yes sir." I answered.

"To whom?" He asked, with a hint of interest in his voice.

"To Easy Company sir." I replied, having me think to himself before I went on with my reasoning, "There are more soldiers who are going deaf, and there are multiple reasonings behind it, sir. There can be severe injuries both internally and externally with the ear. And a secondary reason can be the amount of noise damage that can inflict deafness on a soldier that cannot be healed or fixed."

"And you think can teach our company how to use Sign Language can help prevent any deaths that could happen to us?" He asked me, looking a bit unconvinced about the whole thought.

"Both death and any other injuries sir, it can be another source of communication for us to use against the enemy so they won't know what we are doing or saying." I went on, trying to let this idea on the road. He thought to himself before I saw him shift again with his feet. I looked over to Eugene to see what he was doing and or thinking. He too was thinking about it to himself, using the same look that he would always use when he would either make a decision or contemplate something. I was used to this face by now, but the look of Winters was new to me. I hoped that I had a good enough case about it, if not gave him good enough reasons to have the boys learn Sign Language.

"I'll think about it and talk to Sobel about your thoughts." He replied, having me feel a small smile on my face, "Although I like the thought and the idea, it's not up to me. But I'll get back to you." I nodded my head at him, both Eugene and I saluting him before he walked out of the cabin, having me again feel a sense of personal victory. At least he liked the thought of it, having me really wonder if he was going to go through with the whole idea. I now had another hurdle with the whole situation: Sobel. If he already had a thing against me since I did not inform him directly about the sick Toye.

"Way to go there, _gingembre." _Doc said to me finally, having me smile and look over at him. Things were looking up for the better.

* * *

><p>That night though took a bitter turn for me with the whole idea I had for the boys. I was eating with Easy Company, our normal conversations of what we did before the war came up and it was a normal night for the men. Though most of them are rather tired and irritated with the constant drilling of Captain Sobel, I was glad they were in a bit of better spirits. It was when Luz was in the middle of a interpretation of a old movie star that he admired when I saw a Captain Sobel walk over to our table, the look of intimidation in his eyes and his walk was stern and rigid.<p>

"Nurse La Noux." He said aloud, having me immediately drop my fork and get up from my spot at the table between Malarky and Bull. All of the men were watching with wide eyes as I saluted Sobel.

"At ease." he relied on, his voice was more authoritative compared to Winters, and I placed my hands behind my back and waited for him to say something. But he saw the rest of the men watching me, the both of us, to see what was going to happen. The men quickly went back to eating, leaving me along with the infamous Captain and whatever he had in store for me.

"I was informed on your idea for teaching the Easy Company Sign Language for the war." He explained to me, looking down at me as if I was one of his new prey for him to feast on and to kill. But I had to compose myself, showing that I could take anything that he would throw at me.

"I'm denying the request." He replied back to me. Within that moment I heard a fork drop behind me, no one talking to eating at all at the table, and having my should feel like it was about to crushed by a ton of bricks, " It'll take up too much time from training and learning the combat skills in order to succeed in this war, not to mention a waste of time." I kept myself under control, though I wished I could have argued with him and tell him off. But I already did that once, somewhat. This time there was no escape from it, since I felt as though what I wanted to do was ripped away from me. I was in the army, and luxuries were taken from me as soon as I signed the papers.

"Yes sir." I replied to him in my soldier voice, then seeing him eye me now more like a lion about to pounce on a gazelle. I didn't like that look, it made me feel so vulnerable in front of him and since I was already shut down, I didn't want anything else to do with him.

"And I think it would be best for the both of us that if anyone is qualified to teach Easy Company anything, it is not from a female." As soon as he said that, I felt as though I wanted to make a fist behind my back and then punch him square in the jaw. I was just insulted, being called unqualifiedly to teach men because I was a woman. Something inside of my dropped to my feet, having me feel as though he did slap me on the face and made me feel less of a person and more of an object then.

"Carry on with your dinner." He replied, turning his back on me as I was about to salute him. He walked away, showing off his own personal victory with the way he walked down the rows of soldiers. Once he was out of the mess hall, I took a breath out of my lungs and tried so hard to contain what I was feeling on the inside: shame and anger.

"Son of a Bitch." I heard behind me, having me look within seconds and see all of the boys looking at me, all of them look so sad as if they were the ones who were insulted. They heard the whole thing, and I could see in their eyes the rising on anger that was coming over them since they saw the whole thing. Bull was trying so hard in his spot, Toye was fuming and having me see red in his face and steam coming from his ears. Malarky was at a lost of words, and Webster looked a bit stunned from what he saw and heard. Doc, who was sitting next to me, placed a reassuring hand on my wrist near my own hand, giving me eyes of sadness and a bit of hatred too. He was the only one who knew about the idea and what I wanted to do, and this was killing him as much as it was killing me.

"I'm sorry about that, Red." Webster said to me in a sincere tone, having me see the hurt in his eyes. I shook my head at him, not being able to say anything and unfolded my hands from my back to find some feelings back in them. But it was Joe, who was fuming beyond belief that looked like he was about to split the table in half from his hands, both of them were making fists.

"Don't worry about it Webster." I said back to him in almost a shaky tone, still reeling from it. Within seconds, I saw Joe shoot up from his spot on the bench at the table.

"To hell with that!" He growled, having me see his face inflamed with fury and anger. I felt as though he was about to have a meltdown right there. It surprised me that he was so moved about it, since I was the one that got insulted to because of my gender. Why would he be effected by it? Bull immediately grabbed his sleeve, holding him roughly and having me see red in Joe's face.

"He's one cocky Son of A—" He was cut off by Bull pulling him down back on the bench.

"Don't start, Liebgott or you'll get in trouble." Bull said to him in a low tone, having me see a couple of other soldiers from the other tables look over in my direction to see what was going on. Even Bethany and the other nurses were looking over at me direction. Apparently she saw the whole conversation between Sobel and I, and she looked at me with a shrug of her shoulders, silently asking me if he agreed to the idea of me teaching Sign. I shook my head, mouthing "no go" to her. She looked rather sad, then talking to the other girls at the table and seeing them all too disappointed. They were rallying for me as well as the boys from Easy Company.

"What was that all about, Red?" Luz asked me with worried eyes, having me look down at him and slowly sit back down on the bench, placing my hands on the bench but no longer hungry to touch my food.

"I was going to request to teach you guys Sign Language." I explained to him in a more calming tone, having me see all of them watching no longer with hatred for Sobel but now with intrigue with the whole subject of it all.

"She had a good idea." Doc added, having some of the men look at him as the others stayed looking at me. Joe was still fuming, clutching his fork and knife like he was about to kill. But his eyes were on me, having me see the hate there and not like it one bit. I wished that I would reach across the table and grab his hands to calm him down, but that in itself was beyond protocol.

"If one of us goes deaf on the battlefield, then we can use Sign Language as a way to talk to each other instead of not knowing what to do." I explained some more, "And we can use Sign as a way to talk to each other without anyone else knowing what we were doing." But as I finished, I still felt like I wanted to cry and hide in another room from the sheer embarrassment that happened to me. I sighed, looking down at the plate in front of me and wishing that I could eat.

"Damn." I heard in front of me, having me look up to see Malarky looking at me with brilliance.

"Damn? Good damn or bad damn?" Luz asked in a rush to Malarky, who was now smiling at me so big that it looked like it would attract all the men in the mess hall.

"That is a brilliant idea, Red." he said to me, having me look at him in disbelief.

"You think so?" I asked sheepishly, though I saw other men nodding their heads at the table.

"Of course, we can totally use that out in the field. I don't get why he doesn't want to do that." He explained, leaning back on his spot and looking rather happy about it. I felt a bit better, though not the whole way through.

"Because he's a der Scheißkerl." Joe mumbled with venom in his voice, having me feel the hatred from my own spot at the other side of the table.

"Hey, quit cursing in German." Doc said back to him in retaliation as Malarky tapped me on the arm to get my attention once more back on him instead of a made Joe Liebgott.

"You gotta teach us." He said, having me look at him in shock and confusion. He wanted me to teach him. Even after he saw me practically being insulted for not being good enough to teach by a Captain.

"You want me to teach you Sign Language?" I asked him, trying to make sure I had it right for him. He nodded his head, then having me see Bull and Toye nod their heads in agreement. They still wanted to learn from me, which made me see them in a whole new light.

"You know if I do this and if I get caught, I could get kicked out of the army for sure and get in loads of trouble for going behind the Captain's back." I warned him, but I saw some of them shrugging. It was as if this was nothing to them. They did not mind getting in trouble at the expense of Sobel yelling at them, they must have had enough with him and his antics.

"Screw Sobel." Toye said in a proclamation, having me hear the agreement from the other men as they smiled and nodded her heads. I suddenly felt a sense of pride and love coming from them. They were willing to put their necks on the line to help me out, that and each other. If I had any doubt about this group of men, it all went out the window from that moment. I looked over at Joe, who looked cooler than furious moments before, but he was still annoyed with how Sobel was treating me. He nodded his head at me, since he wasn't saying anything about it, but he too was on board with the whole thing going on. I felt a small smile back on my face, since they were making me feel better about from the amount of support they were showing me.

"Okay, how about this. I'll teach you when we get to Fort Benning and on the way to England." I explained to them, seeing each of them look at other as I waited for their approval. My eyes were back at Joe, who was tapping his fork on his tin plate before he spoke up for the whole company that all had the same answer as him.

"Deal."


	6. Chapter 6

Fort Benning felt different from Camp Toccoa, a bit bigger and more intense when it came to training. After we moved there, the boys in Easy Company were training and learning how to jump out of the planes to become paratroops, and I got to learn some more on combat with Winters since Sobel was too occupied with the men. I was glad to be nowhere near Sobel from then on, since the incident in the mess hall. And even the boys were glad that I was farther away from them, even if they had to suffer under his wrath with more training and drills for going out in the fields. They would have to mock runs in their combat gear, having me watch from my medical cabin in the mornings. Eugene would have to join them since he was in combat, so it made some days a bit lonely. I had the nurses there though, Bethany came over from Camp Toccoa and it made me glad I got to learn from her more and more.

"One more time La Noux." Winters said to me as I threw up my gun and aimed at the target once more. I was going through the notions of using a gun in case I needed it, and having one of the training guns on hand Winters was helping me out. The rest of the boys were on a mock run, again, and it was the late afternoon. In the mornings, it was all about medical training, and the afternoons were with Winters in Combat. After a few days there, I got into the new routine down under my skin.

I shot down the target that was a bit away from me, having me slower the gun and look over at Winters. I was wearing own training combat gear: jackets and pants, boots with my socks, the bags strapped on and my fingerless gloves. I had my hair back in a french braid, though I still had my bangs out in the open in front of my cheeks when I looked over at Winters to see if I did it right. He smiled from his spot behind me, walking over to stand next to me and look at the target that I was shooting at. The target itself had a few good shots, though I still had a long way to go.

"So far so good. Never took you for a shooter really, La Noux." He explained, having me shrug my shoulders and lower the gun down to the floor.

"Me neither, sir." I replied back, having me see his grin grow a bit bigger as I then looked at the target again, thinking of how I can improve on my shooting when Winters spoke up once more from next to me, his tone was a bit more sincere tone.

"I heard what happened with Sobel back at Camp Toccoa." He replied, having me pause from looking at the target, not knowing what to tell him at first. But I had to point on a face, to show that I was over it and not going to let it affect me. I shrugged it off, keeping my eyes on the target and lifting my gun backup to position.

"It's nothing, sir. It wasn't my place to request such a proposition." I explained to him as I shot a couple of more times, in which I got the target all three times. It was funny, because I was picturing Sobel in my head when I was shooting and having my aggression come out with my finger on the trigger.

"Captain Sobel doesn't know a brilliant idea when it comes up to bite him in the ass." Winter said under his breath as a squad of soldiers was marching by us. I grinned, lowering the gun as he handed me a pistol. I cocked the pistol, aiming at the target and feeling the smaller amount of weight on my hand compared to the bigger gun that had me use both hands.

"Let alone one that comes from a female." I muttered back to him, shooting several times at the target and hearing nothing from Winters. I didn't know where he stood when it came to authority and women, but I doubted he was just as brash as Sobel was and he had no lines between the sexes. At least, I hoped there was no line between. After I finished my round with the pistol, I lowered the gun and looked back at Winters, seeing him watch me with that looked like intrigued eyes. It felt like Joe, but he was sincerely trying to figure me out from his spot behind me.

"You're smarter than you know, La Noux. And if the Captain can't see that, then the rest of our Company can." He explained to him, having me feel a sense of warmth come over me from his compliment. It was nice to hear it from another authority figure that I was smart, that I was good enough for his men and good enough for the Company. He had a good soul, an honest and true one. It reminded me of my father, the kind of soul that wanted to reach others when they were lost in their own demons.

"Thank you, sir." I replied to him, not being able to think of anything else to tell him. He nodded his head at me, pointing to the target and smirking.

"Show me how you can handle a pistol." He ordered me, having me smile and look back at the pistol, aiming with my hands and seeing Sobel's face on there again. Sure it seemed morbid, but I didn't mind since it was the one thing that was helping with keep in concentration. After that blow to the to

After that blow to the to stomach about who I was, I was glad I had another friend who believed in me.

* * *

><p>I sat out on the porch of my cabin early one night, reading a letter form home and catching up on all that happened with my family since my departure. It's been another round of days that came and went, and after training under the eye of Winters, Colonel Sink was beyond glad to see my progress and how far I was going with my combat training. This day though was about the men in Easy Company, whom were all going on their jumps and having me wait to hear if they all passed the tests and became paratroopers.<p>

I was wearing one of my midnight skirts, my combat jacket over my blouse and my hair in its waves, half up and half down as I read the letter in my mother's handwriting. Since I left home, they've been missing me terribly and hoping I was doing well. I didn't have the heart to tell them what happened with Sobel, but I wrote to them about the men in my Company and how they made me feel welcome. Owen was going off to College, a school out West in Colorado and he was going to write to me there. My father was doing good with his fishing business, since it was the time of year where he would get a good supply of fish and money coming from that. My mother was helping out at my old hospital since most of their nurses, like me, left for the army and they needed more nurses who were both new and veterans to the trade. I was glad they were doing fine, but it made me miss home and wish I was back there every once in awhile.

"Oi, _gingembre." _I heard in front of me, having me see Doc there in his combat gear and looking a bit out of breath. He took off his helmet and looked down at the letter I was holding. He could tell I was happy reading the letter and he pointed to the paper, "That from home?"

"Yes." I replied, folding the paper and leaning back on the chair that I was sitting at. Doc leaned against one of the pillars on the porch, watching me with his intense eyes and seeing how I was doing from the letter. I felt a overwhelming sense of homesickness soaring through me then. Maybe it was from seeing my mother's handwriting, or that she was telling me that she missed me and was proud of what I was doing. But I wished I was home then.

"Hows your mom and dad and brother?" he asked me with a tilt of his head as I rested my chin on my hand, looking off into the distance.

"All of them are good." I answered him, but my tone didn't reciprocate my happiness for it.

"Doesn't look like it from where I'm standing." I looked over at him finally, seeing him peer down at me as if he saw my heart being crushed. I gave him a small smile, sighing and rubbing my face in frustration.

"I just miss home." I replied, seeing him nod his head and cross his arms in front of me, "It's fishing season out on the bay, and festivals are starting up there."

"I remember those from my town." Doc explained as I watched him from my spot, "I miss it too: the sunset over the bay, the music in the summer night, the smell of sugar canes and the cotton coming in on the boat. You know what I miss the most?" I shook my head as I saw the smirk on his face, "I miss Po' boy."

"Don't start on food now." I warned him with a grin, hearing him chuckle as I went on with my rant, "God almighty, I miss fired catfish and Jambalaya."

"Damn woman you're making me hungry." He said in a groan, the both of us laughing, "Crawfish boil and gumbo."

"Sweet Jesus, my mother's Gumbo was to die for." I said in a moan, the both of us smirking from the reminiscing of our home's signature food. it was nice, since I wasn't the only one suffering from missing food that my mother would make. I smiled, feeling bait better about the situation since I was not the only one going through the same hard ache or pain that was there because of homesickness. I looked over at Doc, whom was smiling at me as well. It didn't click with me until I realized why he was here and not with the rest of the boys.

'Doc, what happened today? Did you pass?" I asked him, getting up from my chair and facing him as I waited for a answer. I felt bad that I didn't ask him sooner, but my mind was on my parents and he was helping me out in the situation.

"Yes we did." He replied in a grin, having me walk over and give him a big hug. He hugged me back, almost lifting me of the floor as we were celebrating together. All of the men passed the test and were now paratroopers, making me feel like a proud sister for them since I couldn't be there to see the whole thing. Once Doc placed me back on the floor, he looked down at me with a small smile on his face.

"The boys are going out tonight at a local place to celebrate, they asked me to come get you." He explained. I nodded my head. Hell, it would be nice to not be there by myself as the rest of the nurses were out for the night. It would be a breath of fresh air for me.

It would be a breath of fresh air for me.

* * *

><p>"There they are! Over here Doc and Red!" I heard over the laughing and celebrating of the men as Doc and I made out way through the area. Doc was in his new uniform, as I wore my own nurse uniform and got my hair to look rather descent. The bar inside was a bit crowded with the huge amount of army men who were drinking and having a good time over the small band that was playing in the background in the corner. I could hear the accordion with the acoustic guitar, along with one drum and some other instruments that made me think of home.<p>

We weaved through the crowd of men, whom were all having their one conversations with one another with big grins on their faces as we made it to the Easy Company men, all whom looked liked they conquered the world from jumping off a plane onto the ground.

"I just heard the news, very proud of you boys." I congratulated them, seeing them all with big grins on their faces and Bull walking over to me with his smug look on his face.

"And we heard you learned how to shoot a pistol today." He commented, having me hear the other men take interest in the conversation, "Looks to me like you're becoming more of a soldier than I gave you credit for."

"A dame with a gun is hot stuff around here." Luz said in one of his cray accents and mugged look on his face, having me hear the other men men and one man shove his head out of the way in annoyance. I heard one of them yell out, "Shut up Luz!" as some more music came up and over the roar of the men. I looked behind me, having me see some of the other nurses dance with the soldiers to the upbeat music. Bull grabbed my hand, pulling me onto the dance floor with him without me even trying to pull myself back.

"Come on Red!" He said over the upbeat music that made me think of home, having me roll my eyes and dance with him throughout the bar. It was a good night to celebrate, not just for the men but for me as well. I felt right at home with them, even if I was far away from my own home. Sure I missed the bay and the sea air, but this was just as good as being home.

After dancing with Bull for a song or two, I looked over to my left to see where the rest of the company was and how they were doing and how they were enjoying their night. Malarky and Perconte were talking together, Webster was with another couple of men from another company in a deep conversation, Luz was with some of the nurses, doing a imitation of some more because they were laughing as if it was the best thing in the world. The last one I saw was Liebgott, whom was taking a smoke and was with Doc and Toye. But his eyes were on me, once again giving me the feeling of being weightless and free. Every time we would look at each other, or more of him looking at me, I couldn't be able to breath or function. I had no idea why, and it made me frustrated. Talking to him was a breath of fresh air, his cockiness and his gentleness swirled onto his warm eyes that reminded me of chocolate in the springtime that was sold in Louisiana. It made me wonder.

Was I falling for him? Did I like him?

After Bull and I danced, I moved over to the bar and ordered a beer. It felt nice to be able to breath, let alone have a drink since the last time I had a beer was way back in New Orleans. I wasn't a big drinker, but I have drank my fair share of beer and Southern Comfort. Being born and bred in a city like New Orleans, drinks were in your blood and it was a part of your life, whether you knew it or not. Some believed people were conceived under the influence of liquor, that or they were driven to conceive. I had no clue, but it was well loved where I came from.

"Hello there darlin'." I looked over to see another soldier from another company walk over to stand next to me, his smile and the way his eyes were glassed over showed me that he was off his rocker with beer and a but wasted. I took a long sip, still watching him and see him eye me up and down. Damnit, it was Sobel all over again, but this time, this guy can do as he pleases. He was no Captain, so it was fair game.

"I wouldn't stand too close if I were you, solider." I said to him in a deceptive grin, having me see him lick his lips and his stench was hitting me in the face hard.

"How's about you and me go for a spin out here. You look like you can handle a lot of man in this uniform of yours." He slurred, having me finished the beer in my hand and face him fully, a hand on my hip and the other on the counter.

"How sweet you are, sugar. But I'll have to decline. I don't dance with the likes of men who have the alcohol tolerance of a mere teenager." I explained to him with a lit tone, though he looked a bit offended by it.

"You calling me a child, sweet thing?" He asked me, having me laugh at him and look back at the bartender, signaling him to get me another beer.

"No, sugar. I'm just calling you a amateur when it comes to drinking, and a bit of a pansy when it comes to picking up women." I explained back to him, have me see that he was starting to get real pissed at me now as I reached over to grab the beer from the counter. He grabbed my wrist, a death grip as I eyed him with a stern look as he looked back at me, pulling me closer to him. After he did this, I heard a pair of footsteps coming my way in a rapid face, almost in a fast walk or a jog. But my eyes were on the drunken soldier who was holding my wrist so tight I could feel a bruise coming through.

"I don't think you wanna stay no to me." He sneered at me, having me wish with all my heart that I could slug him. But then I saw him being shoved away from me, his hand on my wrist was released and I looked behind me to see who it was: Joe Liebgott. He looked pissed, more annoyance than angry, but I could tell he didn't like what he was seeing. Was he watching the whole time?

"Go outside and get some air." He said to the man in his low tone, having the solider smooth out his uniform and look over at Joe with a fierce look, still drunk out of his mind.

"This doesn't concern you, Liebgott." He replied back in a threatening tone.

"It does since she is part of my Company and one of my friends. So go cool it outside, or I doubt your Captain wants to hear me tell him that you were feelin' up a nurse whole under the influence." He said in a cock sure attitude. I eyed the Solider, who shook his head and walked away defeated. I could finally breath out, not longer in danger from another man as I turned around to see Joe looking down at me. His eyes were no longer heated but more concerned he looked at my wrist, grabbing it gently with his own hands and examining it. I felt his touch on my skin, so gentle and kind compared to the drunk solider. It made me feel frozen in my spot as I watched him.

"Did he hurt you too much Marley?" he asked me, using my first name and not the nickname I was used to by now. I shook my head, feeling my hair go with my head as I saw him look back at me.

"I'm okay Joe." I reassured him, seeing him give me a small smile, the only smile he would give me to show that he was okay with this. I smiled back at him, patting him on the hand. I wanted to change the conversation to something more pleasant between the both of us, since the last two time were of him getting mad for me. He then pointed to the beer on the counter near my other hand, a smirk was back on his face.

"Never took ya for a drinker." he joked with me, having me grab the beer and take one drink as he watched me. It was of felt like I was showing off to him, but I didn't mind. I was too occupied with him watching me and having me feel as though I could melt on the floor with the stare he was giving me.

"Never took you as the protective type, either." I said back to him, seeing him lean on the counter as he grabbed the beer from my hands, though my eyes never left his.

"I don't like people messing with what I like." he explained, taking a sip as I looked at him with a open mouth. He was sly enough with me, a smile clearly on his face as he drank from my own beer. It was as if he was waiting for me to slug him for drinking from my beer, but I didn't have the heart to do it. Not with him.

"You flirtin' with me?" I asked him in a amused tone, hearing him chuckle as he placed the beer back on the counter and shrugged his shoulders.

"Does it bother ya?" He asked, the cockiness was in his tone as I gave him my own unique smile. That moment made me feel as though we were the only two people there in the bar, no one else around to witness what was happening between us. I wanted that to be so, if only to know that this was real. I doubt he was a person to have women fall for him like fools, nor was he one who break hearts and run away. He seemed more genuine from me, more true and honest. I shook my head, both of us smiling like we were crazy kids in love.

"Not one bit."


	7. Chapter 7

I watched as the last bit of American soil was drifting away from us as we were on the Atlantic Ocean. It was 1943, another year in the army came and went I was seeing my own home float away from me, the cool sea air was running through my hair and fitting my freckled cheeks as I closed my eyes, praying to myself that my family would be safe. I doubted New Orleans would be under heavy attack from anyone outside of America, but it was still a worry for me. The farther I was getting from them, the closer I was going to war. After writing to them one last time before I gave them my new address, I kissed the envelope and hoped they would somewhat feel my kiss when they touched the paper in the mailbox. It was a silly thought, but it was there.

Clutching the Saints pendant on my army jacket that I wore, I tried to picture my family in my head, happy and safe. I said the Doxology prayer I have known since I was a child, a prayer I would use in times of peril and fear that would come in my life. My mother taught me the prayer, reciting it over me when I would go to bed.

_Praise God to Whom All Blessings Flow_

_Praise Him all creatures, here below_

_Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;_

_Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost._

_Amen._

Hopping down a few steps at the level where I was staying at, I heard the regular talk amongst the soldiers as I shrugged off my jacket, wearing my t- shirt and army pants with the red cross on the back of the shirt. My hair was getting ridiculously long, since being in Fort Benning for awhile I've been wishing I could cut it. Thankfully there was a nurse who's husband was a barber and she was going to cut my hair. I walked through a corridor for a while then turned left, knowing that just a few yard up was the main area where most of the soldiers were sleeping. I had my now quarters with a few other nurses who were coming overseas with us for the war. We each had a bed, my own was on the floor level and I sat down, undoing my laces of my boots before kicking them off. The rest of the nurses were out doing some of the inventories, giving me some time alone with my own thoughts as I felt the dog tags around my neck. They felt heavy, heavier than before since the thought of war was on my mind. I had to think of something else, anything else.

"Hey Red." I head ahead of us, having me look up and see that it was Bull, whom was leaning against the frame of the door into my quarters and having a small smile on his face, "Didn't see you when we were up top watching the Statue of Liberty. You okay?" I smiled at him, seeing the genuine look of concern on his face as I nodded my head.

"Just thinking of home is all, Bull." I replied back, having me notice that he nodded his own head.

"Is it okay if I come in?" He asked me, pointing into my room. I nodded, watching as he walked in and sat on the cot with me, leaving some space between us as he continued, 'I thought of home too. Hell, we all did once we saw that statue."

"Where's home for you?" I asked, having me see him look down at his folded hands that were resting on his knees.

"Arkansas." He replied, "Nothing real special about it. I figured I would come out here and see the world, and be a hero and all."

"Isn't that what we all signed up for?" I asked him in a shrug.

"Possibly." He answered, "But then again it all changed once we got here." We both were quiet then, having me see him look at my jacket that I had on the chair next to my bed. I watched as well, having me see that he was looking at my Saints pendant on the top of the jacket, glimmering in the light of the room.

"You religious?" He asked me, curiosity laced in his tone.

"Catholic." I replied.

"So is half the Company, which is why we like you so much." He said in a grin, shoving me with his own shoulder and having me grin. He was a comfort to be around, something too stressful or too much.

"And Liebgott?" I asked, already thinking of Joe and how I thought he must have been Jewish.

"Catholic, but he's ethnically a Jew. He told me that our second day at camp, not that I have anything against it." He explained, having me think of Joe and how that somewhat made sense. He acted like a Catholic, in the sense of being a bit on the brash side and knew his moral code.

"Why you ask?" Bull pondered with me, but I shook my head.

"Just wondering." I replied, but the look I was getting from him showed that he was not buying it.

"Let me guess, you're a bit smitten with him. Is that it, Red?" He asked me with a cheeky grin. It was my turn to shove him with my shoulder.

"I'm not smitten with anyone." I replied, but Bull shook his head in defiance.

"That's not what I saw at the bar the other night, when he came to help you from that drunk bastard." He reminded me, having me say nothing and look at my own folded hands. I sighed in defeat, knowing that my actions were being watched by the rest of the company. This was a fear of mine, to be judged and not looked at in the right light.

"I don't want to be seen as something that is not appropriate, none the less morally right." I said aloud, having my own tone sound sour when I said it. It was true, I didn't want to be seen as someone who was whoring around with whomever I pleased. I was here to be a nurse, nothing more or less.

"No one sees you like that, Red." Bull reminded me in a gentler tone, which was for him, still low and deep, "We just see that you and Liebgott are good friends…" But before he could finish, we could hear yelling and a scuffle happening. Both Bull and I shot up from my bed and shot out of my room, running down the hall and into the main sleeping room. There was a mass group of men there, all of them who were screaming at two people to stop fighting with each other. The other soldiers were triyng to break them apart, but it was no use since whoever was fighting was making it hard to stop.

I shoved my way through, Bull behind me as we were making out way to the middle of the fight. Right in the middle was an angry and flustered Private Guarnere, who was punching hard in the face Joe Liebgott. My heart dropped to the floor, seeing him being mangled but throwing his punched at Guarnere and having him bleed. I grabbed his sleeve, throwing him off of Joe and then hearing the shouting drop to a dead silence since the whole company was seeing me in the middle of the fight. I was holding Guarnere in a death grip on his jacket away from Joe, who was holding his bloody cheek and nose as I eyed the both of us.

"You two need to knock it off before we are all in hell with Sobel." I said to the both of them, looking from Guarnere to Joe, whom looked pissed still but was silent. Guarnere was still breathing heavily as I heard Bull behind me.

"What in the hell happened?" he asked to the both of them.

"He used a term that I don't appreciate." Joe muttered from his busted lip, having me look back at him and see that this was a bit personal for him, from his stance and how he was feeling about the situation.

"What was it?" I asked him, then looking back to Guarnere.

"Son of Abraham." He gasped out, having me drop my hand on his jacket as soon as he used the term. Son of Abraham, which clearly meant Jew. I would be pissed too if that was being tossed around like it was nothing. I sighed, looking at Joe. He looked worse in his condition, lip and cheek bloody and his nose looking blue. I reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Come on."

* * *

><p>"Hold still or it'll sting worse." I reminded him, seeing him squint as I dabbed his nose with the ointment. We were in the medical wing of the ship, after me dragging him off from the fight to get him checked out before he looked worse. Bull held back Guarnere, who was not down with him since he got him good in the eye. Joe followed without being budging, knowing that it would be wearing it he argued with me. I got him on an examination table, already fixed his lip and working on his nose before I moved to the cheek.<p>

"Sorry." he muttered as I got more blood off his skin near the bridge of his nose. I shook my head at him, still amazed that he did something like this to another person on the Company.

"So you punched him for calling you a Jew?" I asked, wanting to get to the button of it. He sighed, shaking his head as I got another fresh towel for his face.

"He used in a way that I didn't like." He replied, having me smirk at him as I got the rest of the blood off.

"Does it occur to you, that you're a bit _impétueux_?" I asked, using the French term in front of him. He looked at me confused.

"You're really gonna use French on me?" He asked me, a bit agitated. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine: hotheaded." I translated for him.

"Oh," He replied casually, "Not really no."

"Well, you are, and something I wonder how long you're gonna be that way until you get seriously hurt." I warned him, having me move a way from to the other table that had the rest of the medicine that I was going to use on him. He snorted, clearly not liking what I was saying.

"This coming from the girl who's fine with voicing her opinion and gets a rejection back." He retaliated, having me roll my eyes and face him once more, leaning against the counter and watching him. He was still agitated, and he was willing to try and fight me along the lines of his personality. I called his hotheaded, and he was trying to call me brash.

"Way to try and make me want to help you out here Joe." I said back to him, watching him as he looked back down at his lap in defeat. I must have hit him hard in the stomach when it came to pride. I walked over, carefully placing my hands on his cheeks, one of them still bloody and aching, and I had him look at me since we were both eye level now thanks to him sitting on the table.

"You need to pick your battles, and pick them carefully. One of these days you will be worse of than this." I reminded him, seeing him watch me carefully as I drew that hand on his bloody cheek away, showing his blood on my fingers and giving him a small smile. He said nothing, having me wonder what was going on in his mind.

"It's harder than it seems though, Marley." He confessed, having me give him a small smile as I placed that hand back on his cheek.

"Try, Joe. Try for me." I urged him, seeing him give me a broken smile that made my own heart break just seeing it. I wanted to hug him, to take away that pain of being insulted or placed in pain, but my own body was telling me to stay there and only watch him.

"Anything for you, Marley La Noux." He vowed to me, the cocky grin was back on his face as I grinned at him again, placing my hands down from his heated cheeks and grabbing a towel for his cheek, dabbing it carefully.

"Quit flirtn' with me and hold still."

"I'll try, though it'll be hard."

* * *

><p>"This is how you make a letter A." I said aloud, showing my fist with my thumb to the side to the group of Easy Company. The day after the fight broke out between Joe and Guarene, I decided to start teaching the boys Sign Language. I wanted to first start with the alphabet and show them how to finger spell, since once they mastered that then they can spell to each other with ease. It was late one night on the ship, with the rest of the soldiers and nurses asleep, the opportunity was perfect.<p>

Joe and Guarene were separated from the moment they entered the room: Joe on one side where Bull was and Toye and Guarene on the other side where Peconte and Malarky. Joe looked a bit better already, though his cheek was bruised beyond belief and his lip was still too big for my liking. Guarene had a nasty black eye, and his neck was a bit sore from the incident.

The boys tried to mimic what I was doing with their own fists. Some of them got it, though the rest were still confused.

"Look to how my thumb is on the side right here, see?" I asked, pointing with my spare hand to my hand that was making the letter. The body were looking at their own fists as examples and I saw them make the fix. This was a bit hard for me, though I helped some of them and placed their hands and fingers in the right place. I went on with the letters up to K since using the whole alphabet in one night would be too much. After each letter, I would watch them on their own, though it took them several times before they got it.

"This feels weird." Toye said aloud as he tried to get his G down but was frustrated. I smiled, fixing it for him with ease.

"Sign Language takes practice, lots of it. It's like learning any new language, or trade for that matter. The more you practice and do the letters over and over again, it'll come easier. It's all about muscle memory, the same way that you practiced shooting and gun over and over again. Your fingers will be used to it before you know it." I explained to them as they were watching me. I saw them all understanding what I was saying, having me look over to Doc who was next to Toye. He smiled and nodded his head at me, showing me that so far I was doing good as the teacher.

The rest of the time was of them practicing their letter over and over again, having me walk from person to person and seeing them show me how they were doing. Most of them were doing good, shaky but good. I ended over to Joe, who was trying to get his fingers working with the letter F. HIs fingers were curled down and he looked rather mad at himself for it.

"Here." I said to him with my gentle tone, going over to stand in front of him and taking his hand in both of my own. I looked at his fingers, moving each of them out to be pointed, then had his pointer and thumb touch gently. As I was doing this, I could feel something warm coming through my skin, our fingers were touching and it made me feel as though sparks were igniting in my spine and down to my toes. This was getting beyond ridiculous for me to handle: what I was feeling for Joe Liebgott. Was this all in my head, that my mind was playing tricks on me to have me feel something that was merely a fantasy that I wanted? Or was this thing real, what I was feeling for him? Did he feel the same for me? Was he experiencing the same thing?

When I got his fingers in the proper position, I looked from his hand in my own down to him, seeing him watch me intently as if he was in some kind of trance. There has never been a moment where a man has looked in me in that way before. It made me rethink my view of what love feels like, all from looking at a Jewish born cocky hothead who had more intensity than I did. I smiled sheepishly at him, feeling my own breath being shallow.

"You got it?" I asked him in a low tone, not low in threatening, but low as in intimately. He nodded his head, his eyes never leaving my face as I felt the warmth in my cheeks again.

"_Danke_." He thanked me, having me nod my head at him once. For some reason, I liked it when he answered me in German, it sounded more intimate and more genuine. I answered back in my own language.

"_Pas de quoin._" I replied, turning away from him and walked back to the front of the room. I had to take a deep breath and realize, for better and of worse.

I had feelings for Joseph Liebgott.


	8. Chapter 8

Another week went by on the ship, and more and more lessons were coming and going in the dead of night, having me teach the boys more and more words and even the numbers for Sign Language. I could see them practicing back and forth with one another, even if it was during meals, I could see them quiz each other on fingerspelling, having me feel the sense of accomplishment running under my skin. They were getting it, learning from me and taking it ten fold. Even after the moment with Liebgott, He was improving with his temper, though I could tell there were times where he wanted to slug somebody for looking at him wrong or saying the wrong word. I could tell he as trying for me, for my sake since I would see him glare at people or a certain soldier, but take a deep breath and let it roll off his shoulder. And it must have helped that he would see me looking at him, waiting for his action and he realized that I was looking to him to see how he was going to handle himself. He avoided Guarene for the remainder of the trip on the sea, which made me more happy and less agitated with him.

Doc and I were still doing medical research, how we were going to pack our packs with medicine and wrappings. Most of our days here filled with what we would have to bring into the field, and then meeting with the Company with Sobel and Winters, going over plans and tactics as we were going into the field of combat. I wanted to listen as much as possible since I was still reeling over the fact that I too would be going into the field. It felt more like a nightmare than a dream to me, a bad nightmare that I was slowly having panic over as the days were going by. But who was I to voice this to the others, who knew what they were getting themselves into. It made me feel more like a coward, not being good enough for the teams. That's when the inner demons started coming to play with my mind: the constant nagging thought that I would not make it as both a nurse and a soldier for the Company. It made me sick to my stomach, sick to the point of not being able to eat.

"Red, you alright there?" Luz asked me, having him see him look at my food and eat nothing. It was an early evening, and we were mere days away from landing in England. The boys were talking about meaningless things, something that I was used to, but my mind was in another place now. It was in a place of mere fear and despair as I looked up at Luz. He looked concerned, seeing how I had no color back on my face.

"Marley?" Doc asked me on my left, shoving me gently with his shoulder as I looked over at him. He never knew about the fears that I had though I was the closest to him in the Company. I had no heart to tell him, it would make it his now burden as well. I got up from my spot and ran my fingers in my hair.

"I need to go lay down for a bit," I replied, moving away from the group, around the table and out of the mess hall. As I passed them I saw Joe watch me carefully, having me see out of the corner of my eye him look more concerned than ever, almost as if I broke his heart. Would he care? Why was I questioning that?

"Marley." Joe said to me, calling out to me, but I wasn't going to answer him. I could hear the others were calling out to me, wondering what was going on, but they didn't follow. I went on out of the mess hall and down a corridor before leaning against the hallway wall. Breathing in and out of my nose, I was trying to clear my mind of what was haunting me: war. More specifically: me dying in the war or someone dying because of me. It never occurred to me that this burden of being a nurse was so huge, it never felt so huge before. Not until I signed for war, and now it was hitting me like a ton of bricks. Why now? Why in this moment when things were going okay in my mind and heart? I tried to hide the tears that were escaping down my cheeks, but I sniffed and looked up, I had to think.

I had to find a place to hide.

The ship had a small cathedral that was made by some of the other soldiers on the ship. It was a larger room with smaller pews and a alter there, along with candles and one stained glass window. They must of made it for the soldiers before we boarded, but I sat in the second row in the pew, my legs up on the pew in front of me and my hands resting on my elevated knees. I stared ahead at the stained glass window that was propped up, the window illustration was of Saint Mary and the glow around her. It was beautiful, but I still felt no calming peace over me

Something about being in a sanctuary, away from other people and other noises, was always something I loved about it. Just hiding in the sacred place, feeling the cool wind from the small space and breathing in the scent of wax and old leather from the bible, it was all soothing to my mind and soul. Perhaps this is what God had in mind: Find a place of rest and of peace, lend me your heavy burdens and fears. I could feel myself leaning against the pews with my eyes closed now, trying to find that place again when I was a small child. I would sneak into the church when I wasn't doing anything else, and I would just sit. Stories wanted me of people sitting in the pews and finding God there, and thy feel Him change they're live then. Would he do the same for me now?

"Marley?" I looked up and over, hearing my name and seeing that it was another nurse whom apparently followed me: Georgia. She was the oldest nurse on the ship, and one of the oldest people as well: mid 60's and had a heart of pure gold. I was still shocked that she was coming with us to England, but I realized why once we were on the ship: she was promoted to the Head Nurse in one of the England hospitals. She also worked WWI, like Bethany, and she seemed a though she too has seen death, but lived one. A woman from Mississippi, her Southern charm made me feel like I was at home again.

"You ran out from dinner as if you have seen a ghost." She explained, sitting next to me and have me look over at her. She had an aged face, though it was still beautiful. Her eyes were still a crystal blue, her gray hair in a nurse's bun, but she had her own flare to it. There was a certain radiance of light around her as she spoke some more to me "What's bothering you child?"

"Just the thought of war." I mumbled out, fiddling with my fingers as I looked ahead at me at the alter that was there right in front of us. It was a haunting thought, though it never occurred to why it was going into my mind now than it did before. I heard nothing from her at first, though she must have been reading my face to see what was really going on.

"My first time being an army nurse was 30 years ago." She explained, having me look over at her as she was staring with her aging eyes at the stained glass window of Saint Mary, "I too was new to the thought of saving lives, and haunting by it. There was a constant nag that was tearing at my soul, thinking that I would be responsible for the men that were fighting. I have seen deaths back and forth, men leaving this world for Heaven. Those moments shook me like a leaf, that I would have to see that every day." She knew what I was thinking. She lived it, and I was about it.

"Darling," She cooed me, having me see her now look at me with her kind eyes, "We nurses are just as important at those men in there, though at times we don't get the credit. And that also means that we are also as breakable and fragile as they are when it comes to war and death. But the Good Lord only give us enough that we can handle, nothing more or less. If He didn't want you to be a nurse in the army, then He would have blessed you with other gifts and other ways of serving."

"Gifts." I said in almost a scoffing tone, thinking it was too good to be true to think that I had a gift, "What gift would I have to give to these men here?"

"Well for one thing, I see that you have a divine gift of love and compassion to those you meet." She explained, having me feel as though I was speechless when she said this to me in such a boldness it felt like she was preaching to me, "I see how those men in your company turn to you and accept you. It takes an a lot of boldness and a compassionate heart to have a company of men to be behind you as a woman. They don't see you as another nurse whom bandages them up with a pretty face, they see you as a member of their family." She paused, having me look from her back to the alter and wonder if what she was saying was true. Did they see me in such a light? Once I met the they were never cross or rude to me, nor did they betray me in any matter.

"And you are far beyond stubborn." I looked back at her, seeing her grin at me as she patted my knee in comfort, "My goodness me, child. I have never met anyone who was willing to fight hard against a Captain for something they want. I suspect you don't mind having a death wish after all." I grinned for the first time that day from hearing her sass at me.

"Don't ever doubt the reason you're in a place at a time, dear. That is up to God and where He wants you to be. And apparently you're here in the army, and that's where He wants you to serve." She reminded me, having me nod my head at her once before we both looked back at alter once more. She reminded me of the fact that God still had a plan for me.

"Do you ever want to stop, being an army nurse?" I asked her out of the blue, having her think to herself for a brief second.

"There were times where I questioned myself why I was still in uniform with blood stained hands. But that's when I am reminded that there are those in the battlefields that are looking to someone to heal them and save them from death, and if not me, then who?" The question rang in my mind, having me wonder the same thing. If God wanted me here, it was to save people. Was it the specific people in my company? But if I didn't sign the papers for the army, who would be sitting here in my position now? I would be back home, still wondering about my life and where it was going to go.

We both heard someone behind us, having us both look to see that it was Doc and Joe, standing in the archway of the sanctuary. Joe looked a bit hesitant as I stared at him, and Doc's look was more serious. Doc's eyes were on me the whole time and he looked still rather sad about seeing me in this state. Georgia smiled, looking back at me and tapping my knee again, showing me the kindness of her smile. She reminded me of my grandmother, wisdom beyond her years.

"I'll leave you to it dear." She said to me, her voice was soft and soothing in the mock sanctuary. I nodded my head at her, watching her with my eyes as she got up and left the area. Once she was out of the sanctuary, I could hear Doc whisper to Joe that he wanted to talk to me alone for a moment or two. I wonder why they were there. Wait, I knew why. They wanted to see what was wrong with me. I saw Doc walk over to me, his hands in his pockets and the hesitant look on his face. It was his reading face, the face he would use to read and understand people. Joe was back at the archway, not moving a bit but looking behind him every once in awhile. He was probably giving us time alone as friends in a sacred place. Leaning against the archway with his body and his own hands in his jacket pockets, he watched carefully and for some reason, made me feel safe.

But instead of going to sit next to me in the pew, Doc went to the pew behind me, sitting directly behind me and leaning into me. I was confused at first to what he was doing, but then I felt him wrap his arms around me from behind, his arms around my neck loosely and he was holding me close. This was not the same Doc that I knew and grew close to, but then again there was more to him than I knew. He must have heard the conversation I had with Georgia, that or he read it in my eyes at the mess hall. I said nothing, though I wanted to thank him for the hug I received. I just closed my eyes, feeling his head against my own and having me hum in my own pew. Eugene Roe was growing on me as a friend and a newly adopted brother in my life, he read what was having em feel joy and pain, and I was doing the same for them. It was as if we were two sides of the same coin, both part of one entity but with two different sides.

"_Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;_

_Where there is hatred, let me sow love;_

_Where there is injury, pardon;_

_Where there is discord, harmony;_

_Where there is error, truth;_

_Where there is doubt, faith;_

_Where there is despair, hope;_

_Where there is darkness, light;_

_And where there is sadness, joy."_

He murmured to both me and God. I smiled, knowing that he too was religious and he prayed as well as I. It was soothing to hear it from him, since the Prayer was honest and true, a great prayer that I heard once or twice in my life. it was a reminder of whom I was with God and how He viewed me. I was glad I'm not the only one who needed to hear it. Eugene must of thought I was an instrument of peace, someone who brought peace into the world of chaos. He knew more about me than I ever knew about myself, and I had to give into the fact that I had to rely on him along with the others in Easy Company to find out more about myself. I had to give into the fact that my self-doubt will melt away with these men, whom I could consider my brothers. I craned my head over my shoulder, the shoulder that was not occupied by Doc's chin. Joe was watching us with careful and soft eyes, almost on the brink of tears as Doc and I was having a moment. He too felt my pain, I could see it in his eyes. I gave him a small smile, then looking forward once more, placing my hands on Doc's arms that were around my neck resting on my collarbone.

"_O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek_

_To be consoled as to console;_

_To be understood as to understand;_

_To be loved as to love._

_For it is in giving that we receive;_

_It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;_

_And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."_

* * *

><p>The sound of rushing feet running over to the medical tent that was set up in our new home in Aldbourne, England. Doc and I were going over new protocols and other rundowns with some of the English doctors and nurses for the day. Since we landed in England, I was slowly getting better with the notion of being a combat nurse. The pains in my chest and head were getting numb, no longer sharp and true. I had Doc there, along with the rest of the Company. But they were in more intense training with both weapons and fist fighting, having me worry about them at the mere mercy of Sobel.<p>

Joe and I got to hang out more and more as the days went by. We learned a lot from each other, having me see him more as a true friend than before. He was till cocky, sometimes a big brash and out there, but he was also gentle and kind none the less. He asked me a lot of my life, and I did the same with him. Other than Doc, Joe was a close friend of mine now in the company and it made it even harder for me to try and see something beyond friendship with him. If only I met him outside the war, outside being a soldier and having a huge burden on my shoulders. I would of fell for him even harder then, and it made me think if he would too. Would he fall for me as well, if we just met at a bar somewhere and only talked about the simpler things?

I only hoped.

I looked up from my area near the front of the cabin, seeing the door bing pushed it with a bit of force as I got on my combat training jacket. I was on my way to see Winters for the day for training when I looked up to see it was Malarky, Toye and a couple other men from our Company. They all looked flustered, as if they were told the worst news in the world. It made me worried, ruffling out the collar of my jacket and walking over to them in concern.

"What is it?" I asked them aloud, seeing them all look at each other before Malarky answering in a grave tone.

"We think we're going to loose Winters."

That was the worst news.


	9. Chapter 9

"What do you think is going to happen?" Luz asked me as we were sitting with some of the Company men outside their cabin at the grounds, waiting to hear what was going to happen to Captain Sobel since he was summoned to talked to Colonel Sink about what was going on with Winters and him receiving a Court Martial. We were waiting for an answer back to see what was going to happen to him, if not, what was going to happen to Winters. Something told me that he was in serious trouble since he went against Sobel's wishes. I had no idea how precisely, but all I knew was that it was bad. Bad to the point where we were all sitting together outside a cabin, waiting together and hoping for the best for Winters, and the worst for Sobel.

"No idea, Luz." I replied back to him, taking a long drag from my own cigarette that I got from Toye. We were all smoking at that point, our nerves getting the best of us. I never thought of Winters being in such a bad position. He was a good leader, a great one. Us going to war without him would be disastrous for all of us.

"They can't kick him out, he's way too good as a leader here." Malarky commented from his spot, having me look over at him as I felt the smoke leave my nose and sink into the air.

"But it's all about what Sobel says/" Bull said in a gruff, "His word around here is the law."

"Not according to Sink though." Webster countered back to him, breathing from his own cigarette, "He's still in charge."

"Will he go with Winters though? He had a good argument against Sobel." Guarene wondered in his huff, having me watch him as he looked irritated about the situation as well as the rest opus, though he was a bit of a hothead. I took another drag, having me knee start to tap from just thinking about it. Would Winters leave us, now? It didn't seem like them since he cared about us too much.

I looked over at Joe, who was sitting with myself and Bull and was taking his own drag from the cigarette. He looked rather cool about it, his wrist was limp as if he as down this for years. His hair was smoothed back, his body leaned against the porch on the grass with his knees up to have his arms resting on the top of his knees. It felt nice being close to them, not arguing or talking to him. Just his presence alone was soothing enough for me, almost as if he brought peace to my chaotic mind.

I was sitting next him on the porch, almost perched over him as I was smoking a cigarette and wearing my medic army shirt and army pants. Doc was on my other side, looking more reserved as he was almost eating his fingers in silence with the nerves.

"He shouldn't go, he doesn't deserve it." Doc said from next to me, having me place the cigarette between my lips and then place a hand on his back to reassure him, give him peace.

"You think any of us thinks differently, Doc?" Joe asked in a low tone, dragging out smoke and breathing it out of his mouth. After a few seconds, I could see someone coming out from the house that was a bit away from us, clear on the other side of the field and I watched. There was Sobel, coming out of the house with a private behind him, but I watched his body language to see what was up, since I couldn't see his face from this far away. Did he win the argument? Or was he defeated? Who knew? A part of me wanted him to suffer, but the religious part of me wanted to give him mercy from all that he has done. My cigarette was still in my mouth, but my hands were folded in front of me as I watched and waited. His head was ing down low, and he walked away in solemn looking in his walk.

Holy Christ.

I hadn't the heart to say anything to the boys, since I knew this was a touchy thing to walk around on for Sobel. If I did say something, and the boys were cheering, Sobel would have heard and felt more like crap. Who was I to grant him that despair, since I too was a sinner and trying to be a better person other than a bitter one. Everyone else in the huddled group that we had were looking rather solemn themselves, not paying attention to the now defeated walked Sobel as he was walking away from us. No, I would say nothing, but pray silently for his heart and how he could somehow make his way back to God. But I wasn't going to rejoice in his defeat.

That was not my victory.

"I'm gonna hit the hay, since we could get in trouble for being out here for too long any who. I don't want Sobel to breathe down my neck again." Malarky said aloud, getting up from his spot and cracking his back in the process. Some more of the men followed, saying goodnight to Doc and I as they went inside their cabin. It left me there with Joe, Doc and Webster, all who were silent for a moment or two before Joe looked up at me, his eyes filled with warmth and curiosity.

"Marley?" he asked me as I looked off in the same direction as Sobel was walking, only now looking in the darkness. I took a long drag, having the smoke escape my nostrils again.

"Hhhmm?" I replied, showing that I was listening.

"What's New Orleans like?" I looked down at him, seeing the genuine interest in how he was looking at me and turning his body to face me slightly as he was still on the grass. That question came out of nowhere, having me ponder for a moment or two.

"Why you ask?" I questioned him, seeing him shrug his shoulders as if was getting dust rolled off.

"Wonderin' is all, since you never really described it to me." He merely replied, having me see that smirk once more on his face as I smiled back, looking up at the stars in the sky. The England stars had nothing on New Orleans stars, or even Louisiana stars to be fair. They were faint here, very faint and dull to what I was used to at home.

"There's always music there, the good kind too: Zydeco and folk." I explained, having me see Doc smile finally for the first time that night as I took another drag, "I would hear music all the time walk to and from work. You can always smell broils and seafood in the air, even in the early mornings. The sky's tinted gold, at least to me, it's almost like seeing a bit of Heaven on earth when you walk the streets of New Orleans."

"I miss the grass," Doc said suddenly out of nowhere, his thick Cajun accent seemed so sweet in the cool England air as we all looked over at him, "The tall green grass in the summer with the fireflies and the sweet smell of sugar cane." That reminded me of home as well, having me picture that in my now head.

"Sounds like heaven to me," Webster said from his spot in almost a dreamy state, having me grin as he took his own drag and looked up at the sky, the smoke escaping from his lips into the air and up away from him.

"There's nothing quite like it," I added, "The warm breezes from the sea and the willow trees hanging low on the hot streets. My favorite thing though, beyond everything else there, is the open fields that can melt into the ocean at the bay. Sometimes in the sunsets and sunrises, you tend to forget where the sea ends and the sky begins, or if you walk out into the grass far enough where you'll touch the water." I closed my eyes at the imagery. I saw myself as a child, red curly hair framing my pale face as my father held me in his arms, ankle deep in water and surrounded by grass. I could still feel the warm sun on my skin and also the sea breeze, how my father held me close to his chest since I was so small and he laughed with his Cajun ways. I missed him beyond words, beyond thoughts and memories. But I knew he would be proud of what I was doing right here in this moment.

"I wanna see it." I opened my eyes, looking over at Joe whom was thinking to himself with his smirk still there, but the smirk was softer. It was as if he was thinking of his own memory and it was bringing him joy.

"See what?" I asked a bit confused as to what he was trying to tell me.

"See that." He replied, having me look at him in wonder, "That place with the grass and water. That sounds…I don't know….like a good place to have a memory."

"It is," I answered, taking my last drag from my cigarette and sighed as the smoke flew out of my parted lips, "It's like a piece of Heaven was here on earth, you know?" There was a pause for a moment or two between the four of us, and it made me realize that we were all thinking about it: the one piece of heaven that was in our hearts that reminded us of home.

"Hey Marley." I opened my eyes again, having me see Joe move to sit next to me on the edge of the porch, the both of us on the same level and very close to one another: shoulder to shoulder and making me lose focus for a moment. I realized that it was the two of us now: Doc and Webster going back to their sleeping quarters. With that, it felt more intimate with just the two of us there in the England night.

"After this war's over, will you show me that place, with the grass and ocean?" He asked me in a low tone, low enough for just the both of us. It sounded so sincere and so raw from him, as if he was yearning to see that place that brought me peace and joy.

"You wanna see New Orleans?" I asked him in a surprised tone, having me see him roll his eyes and take another long drag from his cigarette.

"Oh, come on! From all the things you told me just now, it sounds like a magical place." He explained, having me laugh from next to him.

"What about your home?" I asked Joe, seeing him scoff at me and then chuckle.

"Frisco? Sure it's near the bay, but it's really nothing too special, not the way you make New Orleans sound." He explained, having me roll my eyes at him.

"And here I thought you were all about San Francisco life what with your cockiness and need to be stubborn. What a traveler." I said in a joking manner, having me feel the light mood between us, "I've never been there, read about it the papers a couple of times. It seems like a special place to me."

"Well, okay it does have its perks," Joe explained back to me as I watched him use his hands to explain it, "Trolly cars left and right, great pubs with music that's upbeat, lots of places to eat from all over the world. I miss it sometimes, seeing the Golden Gate bridge with the fog rollin' in. It's a thing of beauty, Marley, that big ol' bridge."

He paused, taking one more drag before flicking the small cigarette butt into the dirt below him before he scuffed it out with his heel, "I remember the opening of that bridge in the city, back in '37. It was all over the newspaper and was the talk on the streets: the biggest thing to hit the city since the quake. I went over the bridge in my old man's car: it felt like I was going into a brand new world." He way he spoke about it, it makes me try to picture Joe Liebgott with his mother and father going through the famous Golden Gate Bridge. A Joe Liebgott before he joined up in the army, younger and filled with life, not that he wasn't now. I could picture it: his head out the window and the brown hair flowing in the wind as he was looking up and over the huge bridge in awe.

I smiled widely at him, no longer sheepish around him and wanting to run from his beautiful grin and unique flare. He was willing to go there to see what I was seeing and to experience it, having me nod my head.

"When the war's over, you show me the Golden Gate Bridge, and I'll show you the New Orleans bay." I explained to him, seeing him smile at me: no longer the smirk but with a bigger grin than before. We were making a deal with one another, something that I could find hope in when it came to surviving the war. He must have felt the same war, holding out his hand for me to shake on it. I took it, shaking it gently and letting the feeling of our joined hands being imprinted on my brain for the reminder of that night.

"That's a promise, Marley La Noux."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Hello readers! I'm trying to stay close to how the show went with the story and I hope I'm doing well. Leave a review or two and let me know how I'm writing! Also, spread this story around to other readers who love Band of Brothers! Thanks for the love and leave a review!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**1944**

"Hold still or else I'm gonna nick your ear." I walked out of my quarters, stretching out my arms over my head as I blinked a few times. The sun was coming through the morning clouds and we were getting close to the invasion. With another year under our belts, we were training far more than ever before. I was getting my bearings together, learning to shoot and fight, even going through the paces of running up and down hills and going over drills. I was becoming more of a solider than I ever did.

The nursing training was getting more intense, having me learn the difference between powders that were pain killers and muscles relaxers. I knew all of this before, but this was creeping up in the back of my mind like a parasite, having me reevaluate over and over if this was where I was supposed to be. Georgia thought so, along with the rest of the men in my Company, but was if me? So much to learn with my brain trying to keep up, it made the notion of doubt come back to me again.

"Don't you dare get blood on the uniform, Joe." I grinned, hearing the annoyance in the tone of another one of the soldiers. Walked around the corner to where the soldiers were staying, seeing Joe looking over the head of another soldier with scissors in hand, trimming his hair and having an intense look on his face. I hardly saw that look on his face: forehead scrunched down and his tongue barely poking out on the side. I was used to his cocky face, anger, and the rare flirting face that I was trying to both avoid and remember. But this face showed that he was intense with what he was doing, and a couple of the soldiers were watching with intrigue in their eyes.

"Morning gentleman." I said to them, clapping a couple of them on their backs, seeing them all nod their heads at me.

"Morning, Red." They all replied, still tired and still waking up themselves. I watched with them as Joe was finishing off with someone's hair and then smiling at this achievement.

"He's been giving cuts for the invasion." another Easy Company member told me as the soldier got up, running his fingers in his nearly trimmed hair and smiling at Joe. Joe looked over at me, having me smile widely at him and see him wipe off the blade of the scissors on his pants.

"Good morning Marley." He said over to me though I stayed with the group of men away from Joe and his now open chair. That smirk was on his face again, the smirk that he would use with me.

"Morning Joe." I replied back to him, feeling both the heat in my cheeks from his smile and his tone with me, and the cool morning wind against my arms and hair. I then saw him look over at my own hair, the long french braid down my back and almost touching the middle of my back. I never had to trim my hair since I was in the army though I've tried to keep it simple and healthy as much as I could. It was never a real priority when you would have to train to be a solider.

"Want me to cut your hair for you?" He asked me, pointing to my own long braid over my shoulder as I looked at the end of my hair. There were split ends there, which made me glad my own mother wasn't here to see the tragedy of my hair.

"You do ladies' hair? Well, you are a jack of all trades." I joked with him, hearing the men around me laugh and Joe roll his eyes at me. I was glad to have a playful time with him, even in front of the men there.

"It does help when he is a barber." Malarky said back to the conversation, walking over to the seat and sitting in the chair.

"Alright, Malarky, What kind of cut you want?" Joe asked as he got the scissors ready and getting a spare towel around Malarky's neck. It was good to see him in his element: being a barber for the men in the army. It made him look more content, like he was being back in San Francisco. It made my heart flutter from just looking at him: head cocked to the side as he ran his fingers in the hair of the customer. This was his trade, and it suited them.

"Oi, _gingembre." _I heard my nickname from my close friend, having me look up and see who called out for me. I walked over to him, seeing him jog over to me with a letter in hand. The rest of the boys were joking around with each other as Malarky was getting his own hair trimmed.

"Morning Doc." I greeted him, having me see him hand me a letter with familiar handwriting on it.

"Letter from him, and we have training today in the medical wing." Doc reminded me as I grabbed the letter from him gently and saw where the letter was coming from: Colorado. It was from my brother. I grinned from ear to ear, having me look behind me and see the men talk some more before speaking up again.

"I think it's time for another round of Sign Language class." I said back to Doc in a small smile, since the last time I taught a class with the men was about three weeks ago and we were just finishing with simple words and how to put together a sentence. I looked back to Doc, seeing him place his hands up and I watched him in fascination as he signed to me.

_Fine _He replied his thumb with a spread out fingered hand touching his chest. I was quite proud of him, seeing that he too was picking up on the classes and what I was teaching him. I signed back _Good job_, rubbing his hair to have him annoyed and hearing him grumble, shoving me away playfully as I giggled.

"_Cesser d'être un parasite." _He scolded me as I stuck my tongue at him. I loved teasing him every once in awhile like a younger brother since we needed those moments of pure enjoyment than stress and worry. Doc wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me down, rubbing my head with his knuckles and chuckling as I tried to get out of his hold.

"_Cesser d'être un sportif alors, crétin!" _ I snarled back at him, seeing him release my head and I shoved him to the side. He laughed at him, have me hear a laugh from him for the first time in awhile since he was so serious and so stern. I loved these moments between the both of us, acting like siblings more than anything. Before I went off with him, though, I had one more then I had to do. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Joe finishing off his own trim on Malarky's head, brushing off the extra hair that fell onto his neck.

"Hey, Liebgott." I called out to him, somehow a boldness was coming over me like a flame since I found myself not being too meek for the moment. Joe looked over at him, seeing me and grinning since I called I'm out in front of the men, all who were looking at me as well. If this was the first time we met two years ago, then I wouldn't have done something like this. But I didn't mind now since I knew these men so well, and I knew that they weren't going to judge me.

"You can cut my hair." I said to him, seeing him look at me with a stare as though he was hit with a ton of bricks, I turned back to walk with Doc again, hearing the playful cat calls and woos from the other men who heard. I felt Doc wrap his arm around my neck, pulling me close to him as I wrapped an arm around his waist.

"_Votre audace est affiché, gingembre_." Doc muttered into my ear as we walked away from the men, having me roll my eyes as we smiled at each other.

* * *

><p>"I want you to sign this sentence to me, at least three times so you know how to do it." I explained to the men as I pointed to the chalkboard that was set up in one of the spare rooms on the campus. There were at least 10 men in there that day, and I knew most of them by now very well since we would train together. I had a few sentences set up on the board, holding my chalk in my hand and pointing to the one sentence that I wanted them practice. It was midday now, and the boys had a couple of hours of free time before they went off to training again, as well as I.<p>

_Locate the enemy camp_. It was written on the board big and clear as I saw the me trying to sign it out together and in front of me, They knew most of the words now and buy now their fingerspelling was beyond basic for them. I was quite proud, seeing the want they had for learning the language. I and to start teaching them new words that we would have to use in the army, army terms and phrases that would be appropriate.

Looking away from them at the moment, I walked over to the window and I could see the gentle breeze blowing through the trees and haunting sense of peace in the area. My mind went back to the invasion that was going to happen soon, how it was going to be planned out and where I was going to go. I knew I had a different plan since I was not trained to jump out of a plane like the boys where. Winters explained to me that I was going to go in with the other medics and meets up with our company as soon as I could. It dared me, not being there with my boys and seeing that they made it. Anything could go wrong, they could be killed or land in a different place. It shattered me, having me wonder where Doc was going to be and if he was going to be alright. What of Malarky? Or Toye for the matter? Even worse, Joe.

What of Joe.

I blinked a few times, trying to come back to reality and look back at the men, seeing them all concentrate with their fingers flying and trying ti quit each other. They had more at state than I did, much more. They were literally fighting for their lives, and I was merely a nurse who was going to be there in case of a fallen comrade on the field. Yet they were here, acting as if they had care in the world They were hiding it well, I could see it in their faces and eyes as they were smiling, the masks of fear and wonder of what was coming ahead to them.

I had to do the same.

I walked out of the cabin again, cracking my neck and sighing in relief that I had a few moments of peace before I would go training into the night. The sunset was coming through the camp, having me see a tint of orange and gold morphed with the purple of the sky. It was nice to have a fee moments free since my body was slowly morphing into solider mode. I was getting toned, though I stayed curvy with my hips and I still had a bit of a belly and thighs. Compared to other girls, I was no skinny woman, yet it didn't mind with me. I had muscles behind me now under my skin, showing me that my strength was more importance than my appearance.

Walking out onto the lawn for a few steps, I looked back at my french braided hair that was now looking messier from the day, having me see the plots end yet again. It made me miss home again since my mother would help me with my own hair and get it styled right for the nursing career. Now all of that was out the window and in the wind.

"Hey Marley." I looked up and over, having me see Joe walk over at me with his cigarette in his mouth, my smile back on my face as I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, "You look out of it. You alright?"

"Just a long day." I replied back to him in a warm tone, having me see him give me a reassuring smile before pointing to my ruined hair that had some loose curls flowing in the wind.

"Maybe a haircut will feel better." He suggested with a shrug of his shoulders, having me cross my arms in front of me and smiled. I had no more energy to try and start a new flirting battle with him, let alone turn him away to sulk in my now bed and somehow wonder if I would ever make it out of the war alive. Joe was trying to somehow comfort me, even in his own way.

Who was I to refuse?

"How short?" He asked me as I felt him get some of my hair in his fingers and hear the scissors in his hand. I was sitting in the chair, looking out in the cool sunset sky as Joe was behind me, cutting my hair.

"To my shoulders, since I would have to pull it back for nursing." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders, not really being a hair person to begin with.

"Nothing too special then?" He asked with cockiness in his tone. I grinned, hearing the first snip from his shears on my hair.

"Not really," I replied, hearing my hair being cut some more as I thought back to myself again, "I doubt Winters would care if I had a great hairstyle when he wants me to save lives."

"You make it sound more like a burden." Joe commented, smoothing my hair with his fingers as he moved to another part of my head. That part made me quiet for a moment or two, having me wonder if it really was a burden for me. Joe said nothing as well, having me feel his scissor pause against my hair.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He said in a solemn tone, having me mentally see him look rather grave about what he said to me since I was saying nothing. I shed, shaking my head slowly.

"It's fine, Joe," I replied, feeling him snip some more of my hair as I went on, "I'm still trying to figure it all myself really. Why I'm here, and really…if I'm good enough."

"Good enough." Joe stated, having me freeze when I felt his fingers against my neck, "Good enough for who?"

"For everyone here, Joe," I said back boldly, "It's one thing being a nurse here in the army, but it's another going into the war with you guys and making sure you guys stay alive. You can only take so much before you break."

"And you think you're the only thing going through this?" Joe asked me casually, though I knew he was trying to have a point with me, "going through the fear that they're not good enough for the war."

"It's not that." I countered with him, "It's the fact that I could go out there in the field, have of your guys dying in front of me, and me doubting if I could save you." Joe paused again, having me wait for some kind of cocky comment from him after I poured out what I was fearing in front of him. It was a long time that I waited for him, but I then heard him walking around to face me completely, looking down at me with a serious look on his face and me almost on the brink of a meltdown from having all of these doubts haunt me. Joe then squatted down to look at me face to face, having me see him face clearly as he stared at me, the look of intensity.

"I think you are good enough for this." He said in such a declaration that it made my heart ache.

"This?" I asked in almost a whisper.

"All of this, this whole shithole of a situation that we are inWe're all in over our heads, so I don't want you to think you're the only one," Joe explained to me, still talking as if he was making some kind of proclamation, "Everyone in our company has faith in you, Marley. We all trust you with our lives."

"Why would you?" I asked him suddenly, almost cutting him off as I waited for an answer from him, "I'm just a nurse."

"Not to us you're not." He said back, the tone of his voice was gentler and sincerer since we were so close to one another, "You're a good friend to us, a fierce one really. Not to mention you are willing to put your neck out on the line for something you think is right. I mean, going against Sobel?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and shock in his tone. I giggled slightly from hearing it, having me bit my lip from the mere memory.

"That took more balls than anyone of us combined, Marley." He said now in his grin, having me watch him as he carefully moved my newly cut bangs from my eyes and kept his own eyes on me, having me see the warmth brown orbs in the sunset light.

"You are good enough for this, for Easy Company. We trust you with our lives, and I don't want you to think you're not good enough ever again, okay?" He asked me softly, having me, hopefully, see through his eyes what he was saying. He never wanted to see me suffer, to be closed off by my doubts. He must have said all of this because of what happened on the ship, me running off into the sanctuary and being alone. It was this moment when he told me what he was feeling about the situation, about me. A part of me wanted to lean in a kiss him, to finally show him what I was feeling and how I was feeling it. But I was still so grounded into the chair that I couldn't move at all, my body telling to me not do anything stupid in front of him.

However, he beat me to it by placing his lips gently against my own.

Everything inside of me was scorching hot, beyond that when our lips were together. It was so gentle and so careful, how he kissed me. He must of thought I was in a fragile state, yet he chose this time to kiss me. I never realized how much my feelings for him were overcoming my senses until that point, Joe Liebgott kissing me while I was still in the chair with short freshly cut hair. After a moment of holding one kiss, I reached up, finally after waiting, and placed my hand on his neck carefully. I could feel his pulse against my fingers as I returned the kiss back just as carefully. The second kiss was just as intense but twice as better as we both pulled away from each other. His eyes on me were almost in a daze, more warmth in those chocolate brown eyes and a small smile on his lips, the lips that were against my own. My cheeks were warm again, and my hand was still on his neck as I smiled widely at him, feeling nothing abut love towards him.

"_Sie nehmen mir den Atem."_ Joe uttered to me in almost a whisper, having me look at him in almost a daze since not only I was still trying to get over the kiss, but now he was talking to me in German about something I didn't know. I had the feeling though it was intimate, the same way he spoke German to me in Camp Toccoa after he dropped of Toye.

"You need to stop flirting in me like that, Liebgott." I reminded him, having me smirk at him and see him smile back, "You're gonna get yourself in trouble."

"I don't mind anymore." He said back, placing his hand on my wrist that was still touching his neck, having me love this moment we were having together. A part of me thought this was some kind of trick, but who was he to trick me. He kissed me, in the army of all places, and I know that he would never do something so cruel as to play with my heart. No, not Joe.

But we heard people walking over our way, having the both of us move away from each other and see a couple of our men coming to us with determined looks on their faces. We both looked rather confused and concerned then, having me wonder what happened. It was Luz, Malarky and Bull, all who were note looking more like soldiers than the regular boys that I was used to for the past two years.

"We're jumping tonight."

Oh lord.


	11. Chapter 11

I blinked again, having me realize that this was no dream: being in a plane strapped to the front of Lynn "Buck" Compton and about to jump out into the darkness of Normandy. As soon as we were told we were going to jump, I was rushed over to Colonel Sink's office, having me hear the news that they had no other alternative but to have me jump with the men in order to stay with the Company. I had no other way of getting there without being seen by the enemy and being killed. There was not a way to get there by car since it was all about flight and dropping in.

After being told the news, I was then introduced to Buck, who was going to carry me since he was the biggest in our company and a new recruit to the Company when we were in England. I never got to meet him earlier since I was training with the nurses and trying to keep my head above the water. He was kind, a big stature with an intense look on him. He was also friendly, having me think of him as the extended relative who wouldn't mind cracking jokes with you and making the situation lighter. He smiled widely at me, showing me a small movie star of smile that he must have used when he was younger. What a charmer.

Before we even left the base to go on the planes, I watched as the rest of Easy Company were getting ready with their packs and equipment. It made me even worse for me, since I had no idea where I was going to be heading and if I was going to see them again for awhile. We had a meeting point, but other than that it was up to us to find each other. That had me petrified since I wanted to make sure everyone in my Company was okay. Who knew what was going to happen to Eugene, if he was going to make the jump okay and if we were going to find one another. And Joe? Of all people that would flood my mind, his face and his smile was making my heart ache. After we kissed, it made me see him in a new and bright angle. Was it right to kiss him before we would even jump, with the thought of one of us not making it and being killed? It was all chaotic to me, way too chaotic. He even looked grave about it, packing his own things and seeing the look on his face said it all to me. I had no time to say goodbye to him as I was ushered away from the group over to Buck.

"You alright there, Princess?" Buck said to me over the roar of the plane as we flew into the darkness. I nodded my head, holding onto the straps on my body for dear life as I felt the plane rattle. Bombs were going off left and right around us, having me hear it and try to concentrate on what was good in my mind. This was going to happen, I knew that for sure. but to really live through it, diving into the enemy territory and hope that I make the jump that right there was beyond normal. I was wearing my combat gear with a bandana over my hair that was tucked under my helmet. I could feel the pendant against my skin as we moved in the plane, me standing there against an older and bigger man and was waiting for us to jump.

"Take a deep breath." I whispered to myself, closing my eyes and having me think about my family once more. Would they be proud of me now? I was about to jump to maybe my death and they were still alive and safe. So, this is what I signed up for in the end. I was signing up to death after all. After having a blink of light stream into my life from Joe, it would be flickering out in the end.

"Get ready!" We heard ahead of us, having me being moved and walked over by the bigger more built Buck as we were now at the edge of the plane. I looked out at the scene below me: the howling of the wind as we sped through the darkness in the sky, the lights flickering as the bombs were going off, and the howling of the other planes and bombs falling to their targets. This was real.

This was the reality.

"Hold on, La Noux!" Buck howled at me, having me clutch onto the straps in front of me and wait for us to be told to go out into the open air. I could feel my breath leave me as he jumped, my body falling with him as I said one last prayer before closing my eyes.

_Please God, Protect them._

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes, finding myself on the grass of an open field. I was still behind Buck, who was unfastening all of the belts and straps keeping us to the parachute. Within a moment, I undid my own straps, real easing myself from him for the firs time since we went on the plane back at base. Bombs were still going off around us as I stood up again, noticing that my legs were still wobbly and aching from the plane ride. I made it, I survived the jumped.<p>

"Come on, we have to go find the others." Buck reminded me as he got up as well, having me run over to him and we both started to run. That was the next task, find the rest of our Company alive and try not to get hurt or killed by any Germans.

"We need to find Sainte-Mere-Eglise." I reminded him as we ran through the field where we were at. It didn't seem like the place that we were supposed to be was anywhere near us, a bit farther away. All I could see now were farm houses and open field, some cows running around because of the mass chaos and guns going off. I had no rifle with me, only a pistol and my medic pack over my shoulder and bouncing against my hip as I ran right behind Buck. He had the rifle in front of him, ready to fight with everything he had.

"Let's hide out here." Buck said to me in a huff as we ran over to a abandoned barn. There were no lights in here, and I saw nothing moving around the big structure as we ran into the building, hiding in the darkness. We were against the barn door as Buck pulled out his flashlight, placing it in my hands as he then got out his map from his pocket. We were both out of breath from the jump, covered in grease on our faces and our hands were still shaking.

"This is where we need to be." Buck explained to me as he pointed with his finger on the map, "I'm guessing this is where the others are going to be heading before we all head out for Sainte-Mere-Eglise. I saw a road sign out by the barn and the same name is here." I looked to where he was pointing to now on the map.

"We have about 6 miles ahead of us." I said aloud in almost a shocked tone, having me hear him take in a breath and fold the map backup, looking rather mad about us having to bust our butts over there. I got up from the courted position I was in, looking out from the barn door and into the open plain that we landed in. There were guns still going off in the distance, and maybe a fire or two started a bit away as Buck grabbed my arm gently.

"We have to head North, so down his road a bit." He pointed to the road that had the same sign that he found. I nodded my head to show that I understood, the both of us looking back and forth to make sure that we were going to be okay wherever we were going.

"Stay behind me, don't leave my side, okay?" He asked me in an authoritative tone.

"You got it." I answered, the both of us then going out into a bolt towards the road and heading in the direction that Buck pointed us to go. We had to make it there in four miles, and make it there alive. Joe was back in my mind again, having me wonder if he made the jump and was okay, from not being hurt from the Germans. He had to be okay, he knew what he was doing, right? I was still surprised that I made it this far, but I wasn't trained very well in hand to hand combat like the others were. It was like I told Joe: I was just a nurse.

And so the jogging began.

* * *

><p>After going for at least 40 minutes of jogging along the roadside in the dead of night, I was getting a bit tired, though I knew that was not allowed at this point. We both stopped and took a breath, having me try to breathe in and out without killing my lungs. My feet were about to fall off and melt into the floor, but I had to put that aside as Buck looked left and right around us.<p>

"I figured we have about another mile to go, so we can walk it from here." Buck explained to me, having me see him look back and forth around us. But before I could even react to him, I heard gunshots that were closely nearby, having the both of us freeze and go against one of the bushes that were against the road. We melted into the bushes, looking back and forth in a frantic to see where the gunshot was coming from. I felt as though I wanted to panic, beyond panic. But Buck remained cool and collective, rifle out and ready for anything that was to happen. I had no weapon, since my pistol would be nothing against a German rifle.

"Where was that coming from, Buck?" I asked him in a low tone, having me hear nothing at first but more gunshots in the distance. After a moment or two I then felt two arms around my neck, pulling me harshly and almost making me gag. I screamed out, knowing that it was not Buck who did that to me. He whirled around and saw what was happening with big eyes, moving away from me and standing in the middle of the road and watching as I was being held against my will against a body of some kind.

"_Senken Sie Ihre Waffen! Übergeben Sie jetzt!" _The soldier yelled against my ear as he was choking me from my spot. I could feel the air leaving me and my head about to go dizzy, and this must of ben the way I was going to die. Buck, within seconds, threw up his rifle and shot once, hitting the German solider in the throat and killing him within seconds. I felt the blood splatter my face as I gasped, the arms around my neck leaving me and his body hitting the bushes in a thud. After a moment of being in my position, I slowly looking behind me as the shot Buck gave out still rang in the air. The body of the soldier was in a heap on the ground, dead and cold. I escaped my first death, having me look back at Buck who lowered his rifle, walking over to me and gently taking my shaky hand in his own.

"Come on, Red. I got you." He ushered me off the ground and the both of us stood on the road, looking at the dead solider and having me breathe out once more and realize that this was the real war. I looked back at Buck, seeing him nod his head at me once before I could even place words in my own mouth to him.

"Thanks." I replied in my shaky breath.

"Don't mention it, Red. We're in this together remember?" He asked me cocking his rifle once more before giving me that intense look of war on his face, "Come on, we need to get out of here and find the rest of the men." I nodded in agreement, wanting to get away from the dead body as fast as I could. I had to get used to it, seeing dead bodies all around me and knowing that there will be some that I wouldn't be able to save. We both started to walk down the road, no running this time. It felt better that we were walking together and not having to always worry too much. We were close enough, to me at least.

I had to find my boys.

* * *

><p>Once we reached our target destination, most of the fighting was done over with and done. I could still hear gunfire and see people trying to find each other and the other Companies in the area. Buck and I were doing the same, looking for any of the Easy Company men that were around. There had to be, but from what I was seeing as we walked into the square, I didn't see any of our men, not yet.<p>

"Buck..." I said in a warning tone, but Buck nodded his head as we walked in side by side, another grave look on his own face.

"I know, Marley. But we'll find them." He reassured me as we scanned the area. Soldiers were running around, it was mass chaos trying to find people. But my eyes mostly saw blood, a lot of it on the men and they didn't look too good. My nursing side came out of me within that moment, having me clutch the sack that I was carrying and looking over at Buck.

"Buck, I have to help these men." I explained to him as he looked over at me with a stern look on his face.

"We can't separate each other, Marley." He warned, but I shook my head.

"I have to help them, Buck. These are army men and it's my side to help them get better. Just look around here in the square and find our boys and let me know if you find. I won't leave the area without you, I promise." I explained, seeing him stare at me for a good long moment or two before I heard the fateful cry for help.

"Medic! Any medics here?!" Someone yelled in the distance in pain. I moved away from Buck within that moment, rushing over to the sound of the cry of help and I saw men piling together in the corner of some building, already bandaged up and trying to get better. But there were others there that were still in need of help. I went for the first one that I could fine, going to my knees in front of him and started to get to work on his face and arms, getting my equipment out and ready for action. I threw off my helmet, having me feel the cool air against my neck and my bandana sticking to my forehead and hair as I went to work.

As I worked on the men, one after another, I felt as though I was back in New Orleans with a patient coming through the doors of my old hospital in need of immediate help. I did the best that I could do, going over every step with the blood and the bandages as if it was my second nature. It was all fluid motion for me, as if I was breathing air: so simple and so easy. I worked on at least 5 men, going to one after another and seeing them already look a bit better from their spots on the floor. But my mind, every once in awhile as I touched the soldier's battered and opened skin, would be on Easy Company and in wondering where they were.

After a good 10 minutes of working on men with another medic from another company, I got up from being on the floor and looked down on the hands: blood and tainted in grease from their faces and grass from the floor. It was the blood that got to me, soldier's blood. It wasn't my own, that I was used to every once in awhile, so it made my heart twist and turn in a bad way.

"Red! Where are you Red!" I heard Buck behind me, having me walk over to where he was with my helmet in hand. As I approached him, he had a big grin on his face as he was not alone: but with Easy Company. I saw Malarky, Toye, and Guarnene. I didn't see Joe, which meant he was in another location and that broke my heart. But I saw those three men and that brought me enough reassurance that if they made it, then Joe and Eugene would.

"Hey Red!" Toye said in a grin, walking over to me and giving me a huge hug, I hugged him back, having a breath of relief com over me as he pulled away from me and looked at me. Malarky hugged me as well, with Guarnene nodding to me with a small grin on his face. But it was when Malarky looked at my face and the color of his own face dropped and melted away.

"Jesus, Red. What happened to you." He asked, reaching out to touch my face and having me be confused for a moment. When he touched my face and his fingers pulled back, I saw the blood there and I realized what he was scared of, that I got hurt.

"A German soldier tried to kill me, Buck saved me from him." I reassured him, having me see him look over at Buck who just looked just an intense as before, not showing a grin or anything. It must have been too much as I then heard someone running over from behind them. We all looked, having me have a huge smile on my face as it was Eugene Roe coming over.

He must have heard my voice since his own face looked like it was on the brink of panic as he saw me. Within a moment, he pushed his way through the three men and pulled me in his arms, holding me in a vice grip as I hugged him back, almost wanting to cry from seeing him. He was safe, beyond safe since I could tell he must have been helping with wounded men. Once we pulled away from each other, he saw my face and framed it in his hands, looking like he was about to tear up from seeing the blood on my face.

"You okay? What happened?" He asked in a frantic state, having me see him going to medic mode over me. But I shook my head and I smiled weakly at him to show that I was okay.

"It's okay, it's okay, Doc. It's not my blood, I promise." I said to him in a rush, feeling him smile and pull me into another hug. we hugged for awhile, having me take a deep breath of relief and peace as he was here with me and he was fine. I looked past his shoulder as he was still hugging me, having me see Winters walk over to the both of us and looking rather relieved that we were there safe and sound. Doc pulled away, smiling at me once more as we both looked at Winters for the next command.

"Good thing you're here, La Noux. We're moving out for Sainte-Mere-Eglise."

And so, the War begins.


	12. Chapter 12

I followed the rest of the group as we were about head out to the new area that we were going to relocate. There was only a small battalion of us now, having me fear and wonder where the rest of the men were and if they were okay. By the looks of what I was seeing around me, the thought of them dead seemed more logical and more of a reality than a dream. Roe got off most of the blood on my face as we started to walk, side by side in the cool night of Normandy. My mind was still reeling over the fact that I survived the jump into enemy territory and I was going to be okay, for now. Hell, I barely escaped death because of Buck putting a bullet to a German Soldier. I had to realize that there might be a moment where I was going to be on my own against a German, and I would have to fight to stay alive. It made me pray even more that I would never have that. Ever.

"How bad was your jump?" Roe asked me in a whisper as we were walking with the group, having to be silent since we were still undercover. I thought back to when I was in the air, falling to the earth and thinking that I would break my own legs from the sheer drop.

"I had Buck with me, so it was no problem." I replied in a shrug, having me see him smirk next to me as I watched him from my spot with my dark green eyes.

"Don't let Joe know that." He joked with me, having me shove him gently with my bloodied hands.

"You don't start with that." I reminded him, but my voice faltered and my smile dropped. I thought of Joe again, how I still had no idea where he is and if he was okay. He was smart enough to get himself out of trouble, I've seen it before. Plus he knew German, so it wouldn't be too much trouble for him to find his way around if he needed to talk to some local. But it was still a fear, a fear that I wouldn't find him anymore or if he was injured beyond my repair or use of hands. Roe gently took my hand in his, seeing that I was going through a moment of fear, having me look over at him, moving my helmet out of my eyes as he gave me a determined look on his face.

"We're going to find him." He said to me in almost a vow, "I know he's okay. We'll find him." I gave him a small smile to show that I was okay about it, but he knew that I as masking it and trying to be a strong solider. Then it was now cut off when we saw the whole group being singled to get down low to the floor. We all squatted down, waiting to see who in the front saw something out of the ordinary. There was nothing around us but the trees and the paved road, having me hear nothing at first. But then I heard it: the small sound of feet walking and a cart rolled along.

I followed Malarky as we were sneaking over the road and down a hill a bit, through the bushes and having me see the rest of the boys with their guns out, loaded and ready for anything coming. I stayed behind Malarky since I had no real gun to work with and it would be terrible to have myself in another situation like the done before with Buck.

"Wait for my command." Winters said to the whole group as we all stayed quiet. The sound was getting bigger as I saw a cart coming through the small area. There were a least half a dozen men walking with the cart. They were German Soldiers, all of whom not seeing us there. Maybe they were going to just pass by us without a hitch, and we would let them. I doubted Winters wanted to have any kind on confrontation with them this early in the war. But I was so wrong when Gaurnene opened fire, having me stay back as the rest had no choice but to join in with them. Doc and I watched as they were shooting down the entire cart, having me see them finally in action and getting rid of them within moments. Would I be able to join them if I had my own gun, or would I be too filled with fear. I just stayed still with Doc as I saw Winter shove Guarnene to stop him from shooting on the now deceased bodies.

"Everyone okay?" He called out as he was still staring him down as if he wanted to punch him in the face for going against his order. Doc and I got out from the bushes again and we were back with the group, all who looked out of it with us. We all responded with a yes as we got our bearings together. But then I heard another gunshot, having me look up to see that it was Toye, putting a horse out of its misery since it was caught in the line of fire. I felt bad for the horse, real bad, but then again sacrifices had to be made.

We all started walking out again, past the demolished cart and I could hear the distant conversations from the other members in our small group.

"What's that guys problem?" one soldier asked Malarky

"Gonorrhea," Malarkey answered in return.

"Really?"

"His name dummy, Guarnere, Gonorrhea, get it?" Malarky asked him in a short tone, looking a bit annoyed by it

"Well, besides having a shitty name, whats his problem?"

Guarnere apparently overhead, and he looked back the two of them and snarled, "None of ye fucking business, cowboy!"

* * *

><p>We walked on into the night and far into the morning, having me see the morning sky open up for us as we went through some tall grass and I felt the cool crisp of the morning dew along my pant legs and fingers. It was somewhat soothing to see the sun again, though it was still the sinking reality that I was in the war as a combat nurse. This was a peaceful moment, beyond peaceful as we were all walking in a line. I had my hands in my jacket pockets, not saying anything but looking all around me and wishing I could just let me hair down and have my own head breathe from being underneath the helmet. But that wouldn't be great to do since we could be watched at that moment and I could die with a good shot to the head. What a rookie move. That would for sure make Joe look at me in such annoyance, though I doubt he would ever do that to me.<p>

We walked along a large area of water, probably a pond that was so still along the morning air that it reminded me of New Orleans. I saw the clouds on the reflection of the water, along with the tall grass touching the water and having me remember my favorite place in New Orleans. I missed it, now more than ever, having me realize that I had that place here, walking along the water's edge with American Soldiers in the middle of the war. We walked, slowly and not having a word or two spoken amongst us. What was Joe seeing at this moment? Something just a beautiful and soothing as this lake? Or was he in danger, having to hide from any German Soldiers around him?

We kept walking around the lake and further on, the sun getting higher and higher up and the day going through the day as we walked on, though I was still trying to figure out how we were going to get to our next destination. That much I left with Winters, but that came to a stop as we all came upon a farmhouse. But the place itself looked deserted and demolished into, some of the places missing like it was shot from the sky and other pieces of the houses were all over the area. I even saw a dead cow along the grass as we walked passed it, having me watch as two of our men ran over to the house to see if it was safe. We all waited, seeing them signal for us to come over and check it out as well. I walked with Doc, having the both of us look up and see a dead paratrooper in the trees, hanging from the strings as if he was a puppet. I said nothing, but I averted my eyes to see Lipton going through another dead soldier's jacket and pack.

"Anybody needs supply or ammo, now's the time to get it." He said to us as some of the other soldiers started to do the same, though they were walking at a slower pace. I saw Toye reach up to grab the rifle from the soldier hanging in the air, then walking it over to me and handing it to me gently. I grabbed the gun with both hands, looking an it like it was a foreign object as he gave me a serious stare.

"Better for you to have a gun than nothing at all, Red." He advised me gently, giving me a small smile as he walked on past me and over to the rest of the men. It didn't feel right, not to me as I watched the gun in my own hands. Doc was still next to me, looking a bit out of place with the other soldiers as much as I did since we were the medics, not needing any of this at the moment.

"It seems like I'm robbing the guy of his gun." I explained, having him look up at the dead body with a solemn look on his face.

"He has no need of it now." He replied back, having me nod my head. I knew it was true, and I needed a rifle more than he did since he was now dead. I threw the strap over my shoulder, like the others and I had the weight of the rifle sink into my shoulder to bring me into the reality even more.

Way to live a good life. Before I could walk over to the others, a huge sound of an airplane flooded the skies, have the ground beneath us shake. We all sunk to the floor in case it was a bomb going off, but another plane went over us and made the sound booming in my ears. I saw Lipton get up from the body he was next to as Winters checked his watch.

"The landing's just started. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Come on, tell me something about yourself that you haven't told me yet." Doc pressed me as we were walking again, still trying to find our way to Sainte-Mere-Eglise. I smiled at him, rubbing the back of my neck and trying to keep my own mind straight. The walking was getting old for me, old but routine as we were still trying to get to our destination. The other men in our group looking over at me as well, only briefly before scanning the area and Winters being in the front of us.<p>

"What do you wanna know?" I asked him in a hopeful tone.

"I don't know, what do ya like to do other than savin' lives." Doc suggested with small sting of hope in his voice, "Since you're _so_ good at that."

"Shut it, Doc." I replied back, hearing the men chuckle around me as I thought to myself once more, what would I tell them? I had nothing else under my belt, not really.

"I guess….I can sing." I said in a shrug to him as we turned around the bend, still in our lines and having me see him look over at me with a raised grin on his face.

"Really? You sing?" He asked amused, having me roll my eyes again from the sheer thought of him pressing into wanting to know more about me. I knew he was doing this to pass the time and to have my own mid occupied and away from fear.

"You make it sound like I'd never done it before, thanks for the support there." I joked with him, seeing him grin again and then go back to the subject.

"Since when you do sing?" He asked, interested in the notion that I sang.

"Since I was 4 years old." I replied, smiling from the memory, "My mom and dad met when my dad saw my mom singing in church. She's been singing to me since I was little, and she taught me how to sing."

"Well, what do you sing then?" Toye asked with wonder as he looked from behind me, still walking ahead. I still had no idea why I was the source of tis subject since we could be talking about anything else at the moment.

"What do you think, Toye. She's from the South ain't she?" Malarky asked in a grin, having me give him a playful glare.

"Because _that's_ not racist at all." I countered with Malarky, hearing him laugh from my comment and shake his head, "If you must know, I can sing plenty of things."

"Opera?" Malarky asked with a raised voice and a wide grin on his face.

"Don't push your luck." I replied, but I went quiet as we were passing a group of German POW's. They were all weaponless, which made me happy and less concerned as we were walking passed them to the destination. Some of them were standing close to another cart while others were on the top, looking rather grace being prisoners. I walked by, seeing some of their faces on me as if I was an alien on some kind. Well, it could be true since I doubted they had any female soldiers, not to mention female combat medics in the field. But I kept walking, not wanting to make eye contact as I heard Malarky speak up.

"Where ya from, son?" He asked one of the Germans in a mocking accent, almost as if he was taunting him. But the German answered him as he was walking away from him.

"Eugene, Oregon." He replied, his German Accent was thick and cut through the air. The rest of us went on, but I saw Malarky look back at the man, no longer looking like he was going to kill him from just speaking to him, but more interested in his answer. He even walked back, being left behind as we kept going. Leave it to Malarky to strike up a conversation with someone in the field of war, even if it was a German solider. None of us said anything, it made me realize that we wanted to be at the destination far sooner than ever.

"You gotta be kiddin' me! I'm from Astoria!"

* * *

><p>Once we reached the town, I saw the main commune that in the middle of the town. The large arch and the gray stone walls gave me a view of its history: Sainte-Mere-Eglise. We finally made it to out destination. Somehow I felt a wave of relief come over me, knowing that we made it in one piece. I saw soldiers in the area, all of whom looked worn out from their own jumps. But it was good for me to see a lot of men walking around, trying to find their own Companies and other men. Would any of the men be here from our Easy Company? I had to find out for sure.<p>

Walking on the paved stone, I looked up at the big church in front of us, having me seem so small compared to how big it was in the sky. It was soothing to feel, even when I was in the middle of a war. I wished to go in there and hide, but I had a job here: to find the others and for us to stick together. Military cars were moving in and out of the area, soldiers running around and officers were barking out orders. I stayed close to Doc as we were flagged down by some of the other medics who looked like they needed help.

"Hey, you two. Come help with this guy, we need extra hands." one medic called, both of his hands were drenched in blood. Doc and I broke into a run for the men, following him around the bend and seeing a bunch of pews from the commune out in the middle of the street, men on there sprawled as if they were in the hospital in a bed. I saw the tragedy in front of me, ready for work as Doc and I went over to the men they were in need of help with. His whole neck was drenched in blood and I saw some of his lips were stained as well, hands were shaking and his face was white.

Doc went to work on the man's neck as I grabbed his hand, having me see the man's eyes go to me, wide and scared. The other medic got to work on his chest, which was littered with glass.

"You're going to be okay, you hear me?" The Medic told the man as Doc got some powder on his neck to numb the pain. The man nodded his head as he blinked a few more times, Doc stitching up the neck and having me leave his hand for wiping the neck clean with my spare hand.

"Give me the pain killer shot, Red." Doc said to me as he grunted through another spill of blood from between his fingers. I ruffled through his pack that was on his hip, giving it to him then throwing off the helmet to have me see better. As my helmet hit the pavement, I saw the main Medic look right up at me, eyes wide to see that I was a female. I stared back at him, not willing to compromise with him and to talk when we had to save this man's life.

"What happened to him?" I asked the Medic as Doc finished up on his neck. I wiped the blood on my jacket as the Medic gulped.

"Took a shot to the neck, it grazed him but it was enough for him to bleed out." He explained.

"How long ago?" Doc asked he got the neck stable.

"A couple of minutes ago, he was brought here as soon as we found him wandering in his hand on his neck." He answered back. Doc and I got up from out spot next to the wounded men, who looked a lot better now as the main medic looked down at our work on his neck.

"He's good now, keep him here until you find his Company." Doc ordered him, having me see him nod his head without speaking as I reached down to grab my helmet and we both walked away from him, seeing the other soldiers that were wounded looking more at peace than in trouble.

"Good work Doc." I said to him, clasping him on the back as we made our way back to the square to find the others. Doc nodded his head, squeezing my hand that on his shoulder for support.

"Thanks for the help, Red." He thanked me back, the both of us going silent as we saw our men, with others that joined us. More Easy men were there now, having me sigh in relief as they were all talking together and making sure the others were okay. But my eyes went to a familiar face that I thought I would never see in what seemed like hours or days: Joe. His helmet was under his arm, with his brown hair flowing in the wind as he was asking the guys something under his breath in a fast pace, almost urgent. He looked fine to me, no scars or blood on his hands or face. There was still grease on his face from the drop, but nothing else too damaging. It made me so happy to see him there, no longer relying on the thoughts in my mind but seeing him pure reality.

"You know where Marley is?" I heard him ask, his voice sounded desperate as he was asking another man from out Company. The man pointed over in our direction, Joe following the finger with wide eyes and a panic on his face. I watched for a moment, standing next to Doc as Joe finally looked over in my direction, having me see a wave of relief and satisfaction come over him. Once we made eye contact, I saw him drop his helmet to the floor and the others with him looked over to see what he was looking at. They saw me too, just as amazed as Joe was. I could have sworn I saw a tear in his eye, but I must have been mistaken really. He pushed his way away from the men and walked over to me in a brisk pace, not in a run like Doc did, but more of a determination walk to get to something he wanted.

As soon as he was close enough to me, he pulled me in with my jacket and hugged me so close, having my helmet in my hand drop to the floor as I hugged him back, clutching the back of his jacket and neck to mare sure this was real. He was here, he was here with me, and he was safe and sound. I sighed into his shirt, finally being able to breath since I saw him last in England. I felt him hold onto me with such a fierce hold it made me miss him more and more. For some reason, I didn't mind the both of us hugging each other like this in front of the other boys, it didn't matter to me. All that mattered was that we were reunited and safe.

Once he pulled away, he looked down at me with a huge grin on his face, a satisfaction on his smile as his own brown eyes looked like they were on the verge of tears from just seeing me. One of his fingers traced my cheeks, having me think he was trying to make sure I was real enough for him as I was still holding his jacket. I couldn't help but smile at him, since my heart felt like it would burst at the seams now.

"You look good." he said to me, trying to be cocky but I could tell he meant something else with what he said. He was mentioning that I was safe, alive and well in front of him. He must have been afraid that I wasn't going to make it as well, afraid that I was hurt or dead at the hands of a German. I laughed, a laugh escaped my chapped lips as I heard him say such a thing.

"You look good, too." I said back in my broken tone.

All was well in my first day at war.


	13. Chapter 13

**Joe Liebgott's POV**

I was running as fast as I could over the field and under the hills to not get shot. It was the first bit of our war, taking over this one small spot of land that the Krauts had their hands on. I had no problem getting in there, shooting at all of those Bastards and seeing them die. Then again, I doubted anyone in our Company had a problem with that. Well, all of the soldiers at least. I knew the Medics were still on the fence with the whole killing thing, but I didn't blame them. I would be too if I was a Medic, seeing all that blood and wondering if I would ever be clean.

I know I will never be clean. Not me.

It's already a freaking burden being out here as the Jew in our Company. I'm technically a Jew, thanks to my parents and then fleeing Austria. But I'm also a practicing Catholic too, praying day and night and knowing that God is there to watch over me. It still stung though, in more ways than one, that I was a Jew in this Company and that already got me in trouble on the ship. Me and my stubbornness and the need to be on top. I was already stubborn, too much for my own good. That's what my old man told me all the time, when I would come back from a fight over my heritage with a black eye or a crooked shoulder blade. It was a shame, I was used to it being from the streets of Frisco. But now, a young ass man in the army, I could never escape it. But none of the other Company members cared that I was Jewish, not now at least. All they cared about was that I was a good soldier and combat fighter, in this case I was. Sure I was beyond sore to Krauts; hating them beyond words. But none of them saw me as a shameful stain.

Not even Marley La Noux.

I hopped into a foxhole, dodging fire over my head as I crawled through to get to a machine gun. Her face was in my head, again. Over and over I saw her face and how it made me day less gloomy and more of a bright light. From the moment I saw her at Camp Toccoa, I saw that she was different. It wasn't that she was so pretty that it made my heart hurt to look at her. She _was_ and still is pretty, beyond that to be fair. I like a girl with meat on her bones and a stern look about her. Marley can put any man in their place without breaking a sweat, not afraid to call you out on your own shit and then still look like a dame doing it.

But that wasn't it. What got me was the way she carried herself in front of the men. She didn't have one ounce of fear inside of her, as if she wore armor that was going to keep us away from her. She had a sunny disposition on her. Maybe it was the sun hitting her red hair in the right angle that made me think of summertime at the bay, or even those green eyes that reminded me of the trees in the park. I also like her hands, how they were both made to help the sick and injured, but to also use her Sign Language. I loved her hands, and I wanted to touch them every chance that I had. Slowly she was sinking under my skin.

And I was letting her.

I shot down one more Kraut that was getting close to killing another Company member as I was about to get under another main tent where their gun was. I felt the dirt hitting my skin as the bullet hit the ground, having me run faster. This was no place for her, for Marley. She was too good to be in some kind of war like this, where there was death knocking on every man's door. Marley should be home, back in America and away from here. I almost wanted to tell her that before we got on our separate planes for the invasion, asking her to leave the plane and find another way, any other way. Because the smallest thought of her dead from the jump, or even killed by a Kraut, that would haunt me forever.

Why was she doing this to me? Why was she on my mind constantly like a drug? I've met dames before, real pretty ones, and not one of them has held onto my attention as much as Marley did. The air of mystery around her and the sheer strength it took for her to be in this Company, to be so close to death but run towards it as a Medic, that's what drew me to her. She knew what she was doing, she was smart enough. Hell, she was a damn good nurse, not to mention a fierce friend. Doc was the closest to her, which made me jealous every once in awhile when they would speak French to one another and would hug in a way only true friends would. There was a small though in the back of my mind if she liked Doc, but it didn't seem right with the two of them. They acted more like siblings to one another: with fierce hugs and protectiveness for one another. This was all I knew: there is not one person in Easy Company that wouldn't take a bullet for her and protect her.

We all saw her as one of us, as a sister really in our band of brothers here in the war. She was smart, had a bit of a quirky mouth, confident in her knowledge of medicine, knew how to speak whether it was in French to English, and how she can put her foot down and hold her ground when it came to a fight and what she thought was right. I loved hearing her talk about her home, damn could she paint a picture with her words and have me see it in front of me, as if I was there. Marley was our moral compass in the company, I needed that.

I needed her.

"Let's kill those bastards!" I hear next to me as I grabbed the bullet line, seeing them fly over my hands as another soldier shot with the machine gun, having the ringing sound of the gun flood through my ears. Would she be out there at the moment, finding someone who screamed out for a medic? A part of me want to find her and protect her, make sure no Kraut was going to touch her and or make her bleed. One of my worst fears of this war was of her being dead, away from me. Cold, no longer warm and being able to give me her smile that could melt my own stubborn heart to the floor. The thought of me no longer being able to kiss her, feel her lips against my own, that killed me on the inside.

I never once regretted kissing her, since I saw her sitting in the chair after I made her long locks short. To be completely honest, I've been wanting to kiss her since the moment she gave me that snide comment about Army men being Easy: our first meeting in the mess hall at Camp Toccoa. She was so broken in front of me, thinking that she was not good enough for anyone of us in the company, not good enough for me. Bullshit. I was the one and still am, not good enough for her. Hell, I doubted in my mind for a split second that she would want to be with me after all of this is over. A Catholic with a Jew? It didn't seem right or fair. There were plenty of others guys out there who were beyond better than me when it came to being with her.

Would she even want to be with me? How she smiled at me compared to the others, when we were close enough to touch our fingers against the others fingers, she never pulled away. She even was glad to see me when I saw that the drunken bastard at the bar trying to fool around with her. That turned something inside of me, something strong and vile. To see another person, that was not me, touch her in such a way. No one should be touching her like that, it seemed like a sin. After that moment, I felt something for her, something deep and rooted that wasn't going to let up anytime soon.

"Malarky!" I heard over to my left, having me see Malarky run over to a dead German's body to find his brother's beloved Luger. This was a shitty way to fall for someone, in the middle of a war and having death so close to you. But who was I to fight it, really? Of all people in this Company, I had to be the one who would fall for a pretty face with a prettier mouth and a hot spirit. It was getting to the point that she was slowing morphing a siren for me, something I cannot escape nor do I want to. Marley was someone I would dare to even keep alive for the time after the war, where we would go to each other's home since we promised we would. As Malarky ran back to our group, not one bullet on him, I saw another person running along the grass over to a fallen soldier who was crying for help. This person was fast, too fast for a soldier with a gun in hand, since they had to weapon. I saw the red cross on their arm, having me freeze and see the one long strand of hair that was escaping from their helmet. It was her.

Marley. Running in line of fire.

I grabbed my rifle and fired for any of the living Krauts who was aiming for her. I shot at one when she pulled the man back into our foxhole. Another one who was aiming at her arm was gunned down before he could even pull the trigger. It brought me joy to both see her safe and see those Krauts dead before they could touch her. Protectiveness was seeping through me when it came to her since she hardly had any combat time. She could protect herself with her words, but with her fists, not so much. However, I wouldn't mind being her muscle. It was funny: a lanky Jewish kid from the bay getting feelings for a redheaded nurse from the Big Easy. It sounded so unreal to others, but it was fitting out fine for me. My God, I was falling for her hard.

Way to go, Liebgott: you had to like a girl when you are in the middle of a war and you could end up dead, and her as well. What was I going to do now? How was this going to work? Wait, why was I hoping this would work between us? What in the hell was wrong with me? Get it together, Liebgott, get through today and you came figure out what you'll do with Marley tomorrow. She would want that, not wanting my head in the clouds and forgetting why I was here. I was here to fight: to help win a war.

Nothing more or less.

* * *

><p><strong>Marley's POV<strong>

I walked over the pebbled stones of the town once more, having me breathe out from the battle that happened today. My hair was down and back in a french braid again, having my head breathe for once since it was hidden underneath a helmet all day long. I helped Doc with at least five soldiers who were injured, though we lost a few ourselves to the battle. It was a but successful for us, having me be engulfed in darkness and see the stars over us. Doc was off with some of the other medics, getting things together before we would move to the next town that was on the list. I wanted to find the boys and make sure they were okay, not being able to see most of them because of the battle when they were all running around and shooting the Germans. I thankfully wasn't hit, not once. Though I knew that my luck would run out sometime in the future, and this was merely the first taste of battle that we would have this war.

I saw a large combat vehicle with a cover over the back, the sound of men chatting in there was heard as I walked alongside it, having me hear the familiar voices of my men. But even before I could get close to opening the black flap of the vehicle, I heard a voice and the flap reopening, the voice sounding irritated.

"Jesus! Get me outta here!" I smirked at the voice, knowing whom it belong to since it was Joe who jumped off the vehicle in a huff. As soon as he landed on the graveled path, I walked over to him with my hands shoved in my pockets, seeing him looking a bit annoyed from something that happened in the vehicle as I saw him fish out a cigarette from his front jacket pocket.

"Damnit." He muttered, grabbed a box in his pants pocket and got out a matchbox, lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag out before I piped up.

"Have a rough night with the boys, Joe?" I asked him in a light tone, seeing him turn around and look at me with a small look of fascination. I smiled at him, finally being able to be with him at least once this whole day with the battle. His smoke escapes through his opened mouth though he said anything at first. A small smile was on his lips then, going back to his cocky self. Something about the both of us shifted ever since we reunited in the town, it made the both of us somehow need each other more and more.

"You know the guys, Marley. They're all rough around the edges." He replied in his cocky grin, having me hear a small laugh from him. I then saw him give me another stare, the stare of intensity as we we both alone in that small area of town, still next to the vehicle and having me hear another round of laughter from inside. He flicked his cigarette away from him, still long enough to be used another three times before it was done, having me wonder what he was about to do. I then felt Joe gently take my arm and pull me with him in a walk.

"Where are we going?" I asked him as he ushered me away gently, taking us down the street past a few house before he found an alleyway that was hidden in darkness. He pulled us in there, having me see only a sliver a light from the moon and I was about to ask him what was going on. But I was stopped, having me see him push me gently against a wall and lean in to give me a sweet kiss on the lips.

My mind was blank: this kiss was bolder than our first one back in England and I close my eyes within moments. I leaned my head back, hearing it hit the brick wall behind me gently as he kissed me again, one of his hands on my hip and the other on my neck to hold me there. I placed both of my hands on his arms to hold him there as my heart was bursting again. I sighed in the kiss as I kissed him back, hearing him intake a breath as our lips collided for a minute or two. They were soft kisses, nothing demanding or fierce. We weren't there yet. Hell, I didn't even know we were at a place together. But we must have been since he kissed me out in the open in England.

I pulled away from him, seeing him smile at me and look down with loving eyes at my own. I smiled back, not regretting that kiss once as I reached up to push his brown locks away from his forehead to see the beads of sweat there. He smelled like cigarettes, gunpowder, sweat and grass. But it suited him as I heard him speak for the first time since we kissed in the darkness.

"What in the hell…" I trailed off, still having my heads in the clouds from that one kiss.

"I've wanted to do that to ya since I saw you yesterday." He said to me in a sheepish tone, having me grin from ear to ear from hearing how vulnerable he sounded when he confessed that to me.

"You're not the only one." I admitted back to him. It was true: just seeing him alive after not seeing him for hours made me want to kiss him hard. I pulled him into me once more, hugging him close and feeling his rest his head against my own and breathing into my hair. I wrapped my arms around his back, drumming against his back and army jacket as I tried to calm down my own heart.

"I'm glad you made the jump, you had me worry for a moment there," Joe said against my red hair, having me grin against his shirt as we just held each other there, "I didn't know if a Kraut got to you.."

"And you don't think I thought the same?" I asked him, hearing him go quiet and his fingers in my hair stilled, "I was more worried about you, Joe."

"You don't have to be." He reassured me, but I shook my head in his embrace.

"But I'm choosing to. Because you're one of the closest men that I have here, and I don't want you to get hurt." I said to him in a hushed tone, having me see him pull away from me and give me a small smile on his face.

"_You _worry about me, now? Oh, come on, that's a true first." He said back in a cocky tone, having me smack him and the both of us laugh from the sheer playfulness we had with each other. I was loving this moment between us, having me see him in my arms and giving me love in a time of war. It seemed so morbid that we would do this in the middle of a grave time, but it almost seemed to make sense. I had Easy Company for certain, whom I knew loved me as a friend and comrade, I had Doc who saw me as his sister out here and would help me in any way he could. Now, I had Joe who saw me in such a way that I never knew would be possible. He framed my face in his long-fingered hands gently, having me feel the warmth compared to the chill of the night.

"Don't worry about me, Marley." He said to me in a serious tone, having me look back at him as if I wanted to start at fight, but Joe beat me to it, "I can handle myself with anything that's coming. You know I can."

"As can I," I said back to him, "I might be a nurse, but I can take care of myself." Joe raised his eyebrow at me, still framing my face in his hands.

"Yeah, when I'm not around to protect you." Joe commented to me, having me smirk at him and want to lean in to kiss me once more. But we heard shouting coming from the main road, having the both of us look. We were moving out again and we had to head back. This small moment I had with him was now broken as I sighed. Joe moved his hands from me, automatically making me miss his hold on me.

"Come on, we need to head back before Winters bites our heads off." Joe said to me as he quickly kissed me on the forehead before we both started to talk. I followed suit, holding his hand for a bit before we would go out into the open and I would have to let him go. We would have to keep what we are doing under the radar, since I doubted Winters would like two of his soldiers going at it in the middle of the war. I wouldn't like it if I was in his position, having me try to place my mind back onto what is important. That meant hiding from the rest of Easy Company too, though they were already convinced we were together.

"You know this means that you can't kiss me out in the open right?" I asked him as we were back out in the main road, the both of us now standing side by side, not touching each other and seeing our men by the vehicle and getting ready to move out. I looked over at Joe, seeing him smirk from his spot and having my inside go insane again.

"What a shame."


	14. Chapter 14

"Well, look who decided to show up Floyd!" I looked up from my spot, breathing out the last of my cigarette and exhaling through my mouth as I saw a couple more men walking over to our boys in the square. I was with Doc, the both of us exchanging new medicine and bandages for the next battle that was to come, and the rest of Easy Company was resting up for it. Since the night before with Joe, we both had to place our feelings aside in front of the men, though it would be hard for the both of us since we wanted to spend a lot of time together. I had to make that sacrifice since I was here to fight a war and to help save lives, not to chase after a boy. That came without me knowing about it.

I recognized one of the them as Blithe, though he looked silent the whole time and almost shellshocked. The other three looked okay from where I was, having me grin to know that some of our men were back safe and sound. I watched as Joe pulled out a huge Swastika flag to show off, having me somehow grimace and look back in front of me as I packed some more bandages away. He saw it as a souvenir, at least that's what it seemed like to me from where I was. That symbol already gave me the creeps, but what about him?

"Get a load of this!" Another solider that came with Blithe pulled out a poncho, the rest of the boys easily impressed as Joe looked up and over at me, seeing me smile at him and he winked in return. I shook my head in again, going back to see Doc watching me with careful eyes. Did he know about Joe and I?

"What a souvenir huh?" He asked with his accent getting close to annoyance. I rolled my eyes, handing him a spare powder packet and him packing it tightly.

"Let him be entertained with the rest of them. We medics don't need to stoop to their level." I said in a mocking tone, having me see him chuckle and then nod his own head in agreement. After I finished packing, I leaned back against the wall that was behind me, crossing my arms and watching Blithe as he was talking quietly to a couple of the men whom were all sitting by a monument.

"You think he's okay?" I asked Doc without my eye leaving Blithe, "He seems…quiet."

"Still in shock probably," Doc explained from behind me, walking over to lean against the wall next to me, "I almost went into one after the jump, since I almost landed on a fence. It happens to the best of us, Marley." I nodded, showing that I understood before I heard the call of 1st Platoon. Doc and I walked over to the main square, behind the rest of the men as we watched Welsh talk to the men ahead of us.

"It'll be dark soon I want light and noise discipline from here on. No talking, no smoking, and no playing grab fanny with the man in front of you, Luz." Welsh explained, having me look over at Doc and see him rub his face as Welsh continued.

"We're heading to Carentan." I zoned off for a bit after he said that name of the town we were heading. Some of the men groaned whereas others looked a bit surprised at the news since we were going to take the town for the soldiers who were still on the beach to be safe.

"Remember boys: Give me three days and thee nights of hard fightin'! And you will be relieved!" Luz impersonated the Captain Taylor, having the rest of us laugh with him as Welsh got us to ready to move out. Doc checked my satchel once more as I did his. We decided to check each others as a tradition before moving to a new location, it was more routine for us.

"You ready, _Gimgerbre?" _He asked me aloud, having me nod my head at him.

"As ready as I'll ever be, _le petit ami." _I said back to him, seeing him smirk as we walked behind our men with our hands on our satchels. I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into next, but it was better than being sitting ducks once more. I could hear Luz say one more line in his impersonation that was met with another round of laughter in the end.

"Flies spread disease! So keep yours closed!"

* * *

><p>"Medic!" I heard the fateful scream and I started bolting towards the battle, the satchel that is over my shoulder hitting against my hip over and over as I dodged the bullets that were flying towards me. We were in Carentan now with a new mission: to take over and stop the Germans who were already in it. So far we were doing okay, though Doc and I were on the sides waiting for anything to happen. It was mostly waiting on pins and needles, not knowing how this was going to go since the Germans were hiding in the buildings and were hiding in there. I could hear the bullets rushing past me though I was getting faster and faster when it came to running. I was lucky, having no rifle to carry nor any other equipment. But that was also a curse, I could be dead within seconds and not be able to defend myself.<p>

I ran alongside one building, too close to the main battle that was happening and feeling the shards of glass above me fall and hit my back and neck as I ran, cutting me slightly on my neck as I dodged another building that was on the brink of collapsing. I could hear the faint cries of the soldier that fell, and I saw him on the ground near a door to a abandoned shop. Tipper was with the man, holding his head up. Luz was there as well, his radio on his back and he was talking into it before pulling the rifle out and shooting at a German who was about to aim at me.

"Get him in the shop now!" I screamed, having Tipper ad Luz drag the wounded solider carefully into the shop and close the doors behind me. I fell to my knees an grabbed my satchel, getting to work on the peppered arm that was bleeding out. The man was groaning as I took a deep breath.

"You guys protect us in here, take out any Germans coming for us, understand?" I asked them both as I got the arm out of the jacket and the powder ready with shaky hands.

"We got you, Red." Luz said over this fire as he and Tipper went to the window and shot some more. I was focused on the man on the floor, spreading the powder on with my fingers and hearing him hiss in pain.

"Breathe in and out soldier, and you'll be fine." I reminded him, seeing him take breaths that were shaky and loose. I got the blood to end with the bandages that I wrapped around him, pulling it tight and hearing him groan in pain as I tied it up for him. It was a grade A tie for me in my book, having me sit him up and get his jacket back on along with his rifle in hand.

"You think you can still shoot?" I asked him over the rifle shooting of Tipper and Luz. The man nodded his head, blinking a few times before grabbing the rifle with his good hand.

"You stay in here then, understand me? You don't leave this shop until this whole square is cleared and you get the green light from Winters." I commanded him, seeing him nod his head once more and cock the rifle at the ready. We both got up, having me run over to Tipper and Luz and clasp them on the back.

"Come one!" Luz said to me, the three of us hopping out of the broken window and running down the street. Luz was in front, me in the middle, and Tipper on the end, curving along the buildings and stopping at one. All three of us were against the wall, Luz smashing the window and Tipper unclipping and throwing a grenade. All three of us sucked, the explosion going off and dirt flying over our heads with glass and concrete slabs. The two of them ran in, having me go in with my pistol in case they needed it. No such luck, since the Germans inside were already dead. We ran to another building, having me wait for another rally of smashing windows and grenades to go through. But Lux hesitated, though I could hear Tipper whisper to him to do it. Lux went the other route though, aiming at the door.

"Luz, don't!" I yelled, grabbing his arm, but he opened the door and aimed his rifle. Tipper did the same, having me look in horror at a family on the floor of the room, huddled together in fear of the two guns in front of them. There are children there, looking so scared and I pushed my way through. If Luz smashed the window, and Tipper threw the grenade, this family would be dead. I immediately pushed my way in front of the two boys, having me face be seen by the family. I even took my helmet off to show that I was a woman, hoping that would make the situation easier.

"_Ne paniquez pas! Nous sommes là pour vows aider._" I explained to them, having all of their eyes go to me since they understood what I told them. Luz and Tipper lowered their weapons and looked at me in amazement and I smiled at the French family.

"_Y a-t-il use porte arrière pour voter mason_?" I asked them, having the father point with a shaky hand to their left, our right, into the dark hallway that did have a backdoor. I smiled as I pointed at well.

"Tipper, check the back door." I commanded Tipper in my English, seeing him run over to the door and I showed the family both of my hands and I looked over at Luz. He nodded his head at me, looking back outside and shooting a couple more time.

"It's clear, only the open field." Tipper explained as he ran back.

"Okay, I'm going to get them out of here before the buildings falls on them," I explained to both Luz and Tipper, "Keep us clear as we leave from the back." I grabbed my helmet and threw it on again, making sure that I was okay before I moved.

"Whatever you need." Tipper replied, cocking his rifle once more as I focused back on the family and smiled at them all.

"_Viens avec moi à la sécurité . Je peux vous obtenir de la nourriture et des médicaments._" I explained, having me seen them be hesitant at first, looking to the father for an answer. He nodded his head at me, the four of them getting up and following me to the back door.

"Don't get shot, Red. Or I won't hear the end of it from either Doc or Joe." Luz called to me over his shoulder as I got the door open, looking out for a moment. All I could see were the rolling fields that lead to the farm land, Since we were in the east side of town, that meant our base with our troops were on the right side along the hedges and on the main dirt road. This could get me killed, and I had no choice but to try and get the family out of there. I looked behind me at the family, all who were waiting for me as I motioned for them to follow. We all broke into a run.

As we ran, I realized what I was doing. I was going beyond my call as a medic, I was acting like a real soldier then on out for these poor citizens. They were caught in out war, and I had no choice but to save them with all that I had. I could hear the bombs going off behind me in the town, having me wonder if the boys were okay and if they were going to make it out alive. But right now I had to find this family a safe place, having me run faster and faster than I did before. They were keeping up with me, speaking to each other in French as we were getting close to the hedges.

"It's La Noux!" I saw some of the other men looking over at me from beyond the bushes as I skidded to a halt in front of them. Doc was there, apparently he never left the side since I bolted into town for the first call. The family was still behind me as I pointed to the family and looked at Doc, trying to catch my breath. He looked petrified to see me with this family, not to mention I was scabbed up from my own damage to my face.

"They were in the buildings and I and to get them out. Check them and make sure they're okay?" I asked him, seeing him look from me to the family, all who were watching us, wondering what was going on. He nodded his head and I smiled, looking back at the family. I pointed to Doc, seeing them watch him carefully.

"_Il est docteur comme moi . Il prendra soin de vous et assurez-vous que vous êtes en sécurité."_ I explained to them, seeing them quickly go over to them and talk to him in French to see what was going on. I sighed in relief, giving myself satisfaction that I saved their lives and got them away from the battle that as happening. One more explosion caught me my surprise, having me feel the ground beneath all of us shake and the rest of the soldiers looking over to see where ti came from: the heart of the city. I was torn, stay here and make sure they family was safe, or go out and help anyone else that needed it since they explosion might of damaged a limb or two. I looked back at Doc, silently asking for his permission to make sure it was okay.

"Don't die on me." He only replied, having me smile at him and start running back out into the town. I had to run fast, someone could be dying on the streets and they needed me. Doc was fine with the family for now, he would join me soon enough. But I was the only one that was there for them, and I had to make it count.

I got into one of the openings of the town, having me skid to a halt when I saw it was Winters walking over in my direction with a map in his hand. I was about to yell out to him and make sure all was well with the men, when I heard something hit a wall and him grunting, almost falling to the floor and a bit of blood on his leg.

"Sir!" I yelled, bolting over. I was thinking he got hurt and was shot. Before he could even get himself together, I grabbed his waist and pulled him up, seeing him grab my jacket to not fall on me.

"I got you, sir." I explained, seeing him look down at me with a faint smile, but was grunting in pain.

"Thanks, La Noux.'

"Don't mention it."

* * *

><p>"You're lucky it was a ricochet." Doc explained as he had Winters sitting on top of a table, getting the piece of shard that was in his ankle and putting it in the tin Winters was holding. I was helping out another soldier who needed stitching on his head, having me look over him with my helmet now off my head and my hair pulled back to have me see. We were in a safe house where the wounded were, a sense of peace was over the area since the town was now under our command. I could hear Buck coming up to Winters and talking about the next plan of attack, a counter one with the Germans. As they talked, I placed a spare hand on the soldier's head, seeing him almost about to cry.<p>

"Take a deep breath, you're going to be okay." I reminded him, seeing him still crying. I wish I knew a way to take care of him, to make him feel better. He spoke up then, his voice was wavy and scarce.

"Private Toye told me that you can sing." He whimpered to me, having me paused my movements on his head and watch him carefully. He took in a deep breath.

"Could you sing to me?" He asked me. Who was I to say no to him then? It must have made him feel silly to ask, but I was no cold-hearted nurse who wanted to just push him aside and go to the next man who needed aid. I smiled at him, stroked his wounded head again as I thought of a song for him.

_As I went down in the river to pray_

_Studying about that good ol' way_

_And who shall wear the starry crown?_

_Good Lord show me the way!_

_O sisters let's go down_

_Let's go down, come on down_

_O sisters let's go down_

_Down in the river to pray_

"What's wrong with Blithe?" I heard behind me, having me pause briefly and look over my shoulder to see Winters and Doc looking at Blithe, whom was sitting against the wall on the floor, looking off in the distance with a trance on his face.

"Nothing, except he can't see." Doc replied in almost a scoffed tone, having me look back at the soldier below and see him watch me. His tears were gone now, and he was still listening as I went on with the song.

_As I went down in the river to pray_

_Studying about that good ol' way_

_And who shall wear the starry crown?_

_Good Lord show me the way!_

_O sisters let's go down_

_Let's go down, come on down_

_O sisters let's go down_

_Down in the river to pray_

"You can't see?" I heard behind me again, having me look and see what was happening. Winters were now crouched in front of Blithe, waving his hand once more to make sure that he, in fact, was blind. I felt bad for Blithe, since he seemed like a simple enough soul. I looked back to the soldier, who looked like he was about to fall asleep. It was fine, since he had no concussion. He needs sleep at this point, and I had no problem singing him off to sleep.

_As I went down in the river to pray_

_Studying about that good ol' way_

_And who shall wear the starry crown?_

_Good Lord show me the way_

_O fathers let's go down_

_Let's go down, come on down_

_O fathers let's go down_

_Down in the river to pray_

As soon as the soldier was no sleep, looking peaceful in his spot on the table, I released him and smiled, thinking that he was now fine and not needing anyone to look after him. But I turned back to find Doc, seeing both him and Winters look at Blithe in amazement since he was walking and could apparently see again. I was amazed too, leaning back against the table with the sleeping soldier on it and crossing my arms, watching from my spot as he kept saying he was okay. As soon as he walked away, I walked over to both Winters and Doc, seeing them look stunned from their spots and then Doc looking at our commander.

"You ready for a bandage?"


	15. Chapter 15

"Come on, breathe into the stick." I took a long drag, my hands shaking beyond recognition and my mind were on overdrive. I woke up from another nightmare from moments before, the nightmare of the battle in the small town. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was of no use. I could still hear the screaming and the buildings being blown up, it was so vivid and so real that I was beyond tired to close my eyes again. I was back at a hospital nearby, spending the night there so in the morning I could help with any of the wounded. Doc was there for a brief moment before he would head back with the Easy Company. But as soon as he saw me, against the wall on the floor with my head in my hands, tears coming down my face, he wasn't going anywhere until I was sane again. Fat Chance.

He explained to me the results of what happened in Carentan: the counter attack and how we lost about 60 men to that battle. The men celebrated last night while I was here in the hospital, having a few beers and playing darts while the new recruits joined them. Doc told me the whole story: Buck was playing darts with a man named Babe, Guarnene was giving three of them a hard time, and Lipton becoming 1st Lieutenant.

It was even worse when I heard about what happened to Tipper: being mauled and hit hard by an explosion. My heart broke for him, having me realize that I was merely on the other side of the town when it happened and he was beyond repair. Poor Tipper, I was with him for awhile in the battle and I saw him fight so hard with Luz. Luz was wrecked too, the both of us going through our own mourning.

I took a long drag from the cigarette, blinding my eyes a few times before Doc rested his hand on my neck to both check my pulse and to make sure that I was okay there. Nurses were coming in left and right, helping the wounded that were already there. And here I was, having a minor nervous breakdown in front of them and another medic tending to me.

"It's normal, Marley." He reminded me, being so close as we were just murmuring to one another, "This happens to the best soldiers in the field. You just need to relax, it's all in the past now." I nodded my head, having me feel the smoke escape my lips and I took in a big gulp before I spoke.

"I didn't think the nightmares would be that real." I commented, seeing him nod his head and sit next to me on the hospital floor, having me stare ahead and see the white walls in front of us.

"That's all they are: nightmares. You'll get used to the fact that you'll wake up in the morning and you can start all over. But think of it this way: you saved that family from being bombed and killed. That was another nightmare that will never be." Doc explained, having me look over at him as I took another drag from the cigarette and I saw that he was trying to make me feel better. I was glad he was there, making this whole thing a title lighter for me. I smiled at him slightly, seeing him grin at me and then seeing Winters walk over to the both of us. But he was not alone at all, there was another soldier behind him and looked a bit more concerned about me. It was Joe, having my own heart feel a bit better and my smile wanting to come out. A part of me wanted to get up and salute Winters, but my legs and body were refusing to get up. Doc stayed down with me, having Winters squat down in front of the both of us, having me see he too had bag under his eyes and looking beyond tired. Joe stood away from us, leaning against the door and looking down at the three of us on the floor.

"I came here to check up on the both of you, along with Blithe. You alright?" He asked me, his voice was genuine and sincere with me, no longer laced with commands and leadership. I nodded my head, taking another drag from my stick and seeing him smile at me.

"I am sir, thank you," I replied back to him in a light tone, though it was laced with shakiness. He smiled at me, a warm one that I saw him use with Blithe at the small safe house. I looked over at Joe briefly, having me see him give me a small smile that was showing but love and appreciation. He must have been concerned about me since I came here last night, having me not see him since the battle.

"I was told what you did for that French family, and I came here to thank you personally for your hard work and bravery." Winters explained to me, having me see Doc reach over and lay a hand on my knee to give me support as I was hearing the praise from Winters. Even Joe looked at me in wonder, having me see that he never heard what really happened and what I did for the family. I only saw it as a survival tactic: getting the family out of there and making sure that they were safe. But Winters saw something else, as did Doc. I had to work on what I saw vs. what other people were seeing in me.

"Because of your bravery with that family, in which made the lost of lives less, and with your handwork and dedication with the Company: you are going to rewarded a Bronze star by our higher authority." I looked at him amazed, seeing him look at me with such seriousness that this showed this he was not joint. Did they want to reward me? For getting a group of people out of the town before, they could get hurt? It didn't seem right or fair with the other men in the company who were literally losing their lives for the same reason. But by that point, I had no reason to argue with him and to give it away from me.

"Thank you, sir." I thanked him, seeing him give me a small smile before looking over at the soldiers out on the beds.

"I'm going to go check on Blithe, and I'll grab you two for our next mission." He explained to me, both Doc and I replied back a "Sir." together before he got up and walked away. I sighed, looking ahead of me and leaning my head back, closing my eyes and hearing another set of footsteps coming over and then having me feel a set of hands on my knees. Looking up, I saw it was Joe, who was squatting down in front of me with a sincere grin on his face, but I could see he was concerned about me. Doc then tapped my neck, having me look over at him as he got up from the wall.

"I'm gonna check on Blithe with Winters." He said to me, having me nod my head as he looked carefully at both Joe and myself. He knew about us, I was sure of it. But he was more concerned about me, acting like an older brother towards me and making sure that I was okay. I smiled at him, seeing him watch me before I signed _I'm okay_ to him. He walked away then, not needing to watch the both of us anymore.

"I heard you were over here, that you didn't come back to camp last night," Joe explained to me, having me look back at him and see him watch me carefully, "You okay?"

"It was just an a long day yesterday and I needed to help with the men here." I replied, hearing him sigh and sit against the wall with me, carefully taking my hand in his and having me feel the warmth with our fingers intertwining in the hallway of the hospital room.

"Well, Luz was worried about you, along with Bull and even Lipton….I was worried since I haven't seen you since the battle started." He went on, having me lean my head against his shoulder as he went on talking, "I'm just glad you came out okay. I had to take care of Tipper after he came out of that shop.." my head poked up from his shoulder, looking over at him and see him also looked a bit damaged from what happened to Tipper.

"You saw him?" I asked him in a low tone, having me see him nod his head and I sighed in defeat, putting my head backdown on his shoulder.

"Hopefully, we can be done with this whole war before Christmas, that's what they talked about this morning in the meeting," Joe explained to me, rubbing my hand with his thumb and having me breathe out in relief and peace, "This new place we're going to: we have to hit it hard or else it won't be worth it." I nodes my head, showing that I understood.

"Just think of it this way, once this whole thing is over, I can take you to San Francisco and show you the bay." Joe reminded me, having me grin against his jacket on his shoulder as he continued, "You can see the bridge. Hell, we can walk on the damn thing if you want to. I can take you to my favorite place for a beer, and we can dance all night. Only if you want to." He was being too much for me, trying so hard to make things better for me. And I was glad for him, beyond glad and grateful as I looked around us for a moment with our eyes, seeing that we were alone. I leaned up and kissed him on the jaw, seeing a big grin on his face as I placed my head back on his shoulder, wrapping my arm around his and still holding his hand. Leave it to Joe to make the things in my life that were getting dull and dark more bright and beautiful.

"I would love that, Joseph Liebgott."

* * *

><p>I walked alongside the road that was paved in our huge area, the rest of the soldiers were prepping to get ready for another drop off in France as they were our next destination. I was jumping, once again, with Buck whom as still fine with me being strapped in front of him. Much to Joe's dismay as I told them how this was going to work, but he was fine with it none the less. I had no idea he had a jealous side to him, over a simple jump. But he was still a mystery to me, a handsome one.<p>

The new recruits were getting along fine with us, though some of them were on the edge with us already being seasoned in warfare then they were. To me, they looked so young and so innocent, which made me wonder, did us in Easy look like that when we started?

The sun was beating down our necks, having me wait with Doc for the medical truck to come with our new supplies. The truck was coming any time now, having me think it was Christmas time for us since we needed the supplies more than ever before. I had my hair down then, no longer needing the braid for the day as Doc was ruffling his own hair, which was getting longer as the days went by. Looking over at his hair, I grinned, ruffling it with my own fingers playfully.

"You need a cut." I said out of the blue.

"I'm not going to Liebgott. No offense to your boyfriend, I don't trust him with scissors." He explained in a gruff, having me smirk.

"I don't blame you. I'll cut it once we find a moment or rest over in France, okay?" I asked him, seeing him smile and nod his head once, looking over to our left. I was still having a good day, a great day, but it was all shot down to shit when I saw the look on Doc's face. he looked like he just saw a ghost, the color drained from his face and his eyes were far from being warm. I grabbed his jacket to get his attention.

"What is it?" I asked him, clearly confused as to what was going on. But he pointed, saying nothing as a truck with our supplies was coming up. I looked as well, seeing who was at the front of the truck and my own face went downhill.

Sobel.

The rest of our company was frozen solid, watching them with both anger and sadness in their faces, mostly shock as well as he drove by them, looking at every one of them and having me feel my chest was about to burst in pain and confusion as to why he was there. He still looked stern, the same look back at Camp Toccoa as Lipton walked over to the same truck to get a fellow wounded soldier, Popeye, out from the truck with ease. They both talked to each other as I leaned over to Doc, clearly not liking that Sobel was here.

I shoved him, seeing him look over at me now and I signed to him: _What is he doing here? _He shook his head, signing _I have no idea._ I sighed, looking being my shoulder and seeing the other Easy Company men clearly agitated with him being here.

"That's him alright." I heard Bull said aloud in his Arkansas accent as he walked past me, going to a new private that was getting his bearings ready. I looked back at Sobel, seeing him get the things ready to be taken off the truck. But then he looked over at me, his eyes found my own and I felt my own feet being glued to the floor. Doc must of saw this, seeing that I was now afraid of the men and he grabbed my arm.

"Come on." he whispered to me, pulling me away from the spot, having me turn with him and all away, not wanting to have another confrontation with the man. I needed to focus on the mission at hand, not a past demon. I took in a deep breath, reminding myself that I was not the same girl that was in front of him in the mess hall who was on the brink of tears. I was stronger than that, much more. I walked over to Buck, seeing him get his now things ready on his jumpsuit and he smiled at me.

"You ready for round two?" he asked me, his blue eyes shining in the light as I nodded my head.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Keep moving!" I could only hear the order once over the mass amount of people celebrating us, shaking our hands and hugging us close as we were moving through the small town of Eindhoven, Holland, flags were waving in the air, songs were being sung, and it didn't even feel like we were at war at all. I was in the middle of a mass party to be fair, and the people were beyond glad to see us.<p>

People were wanting to shake my hand and even hug em close to them as if I was some kind of savior. I stayed close to Joe, who was clutching my hand the whole time as we weaved out way through the area, though I wanted to smile from the sheer joy on their faces.

"This is insane!" I said to Joe over the noise as we moved our way through around the citizens. I had to take my helmet off at the time, having my hair roll down past my shoulders and then see a couple of men looking over in my direction. One of them leaned in a kissed me quickly on the mouth, having me hear the shouts of cheers from his friends as he pulled away. It was so quick, but Joe pulled me closer to him and I saw the hint of jealousy again in his eyes.

"Oh, come on! It was nothing!" I reassured him, having me see him roll his eyes in annoyance.

"What a punk move with that guy." He said in a bitter tone, having me pull him back from walking any further, grabbing his collar and pulling him down to kiss him lightly on the lips. I could feel him smile in the kiss, having me frozen in the middle of the celebration and I pulled away from him. He looked dazed, then grinning at me up and down.

"Better?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. Joe nodded his head, kissing me quickly once more.

"Very much so, you lynx." He joked with me, having me laugh as we continued on with our walk. I could see the other men were being occupied by the hugs from the women and the festivities: getting kisses and getting long drinks from the wine and whiskey given to them. It reminded me of home: the loud music being heard and the people in the streets, looking so at peace with all that was happening. It brought a moment of happiness through my soul, jut a moment. But as we were going through the small square, I could hear a chant coming through the area, it was getting louder and louder. I got closer to Joe, not knowing where the chanting was coming from, but it didn't sound good. Not at all.

It wasn't until we saw a woman being dragged off by her arms by two other men, wearing yellow armbands on their sleeves towards the middle of a circle that was made by the people, all whom were the sources of the chanting. They were saying the same thing, over and over with such venom in their voice. It was contrasting the joy of the festival around us as Joe and I pushed out way through to find out what was happening. What I saw brought me to tears, almost. There were women, in torn clothes, and men shaving their head as they were in tears and sobbing. I had no clue why this was happening to them, their hair falling in front of their faces and their tears soaking their cheeks and skin. I stayed behind Joe, seeing him watch with solemn eyes and saying nothing, as did the rest of our men who were watching as well. We were all so confused: happy one minute with the rest of the population and now looking in grief and shell shock.

"What are they chanting?" I asked Joe next to me, who was clutching my hand harder and looked like he was about to be sick. I wanted to know the word they were saying, since it sounded so vicious and so bare in the open light air that was around us. But Joe shook his head, still watching as another woman was shoved away with a battered bloody hair and torn clothes.

"I don't even want to know." He replied, having me look behind me at the other soldiers watching. They all were floored: including Bull who still had his cigar in his mouth.

"What did they do?" I heard one of our soldiers ask to my left, having my eyes still be on the young woman who was now bald with patches on her head, a Swastika was drawn on his forehead with black ash.

"They slept with the Germans." Someone replied to him.

What were we getting ourselves into now?

* * *

><p>"Where is he?!" I heard next to me as I finished another soldier's bandage on his ear, having me look up to see the scene around me now. We were in a new town in Holland, and Operation Market Garden just begun. We were in way over our heads, especially the new recruits and how they were handling the fighting. I bolted away from this solider, seeing him hop up and rejoin the men in the shoot as I ducked behind a fallen mess of bricks, seeing a tank that was in fire roll by me so slow and looking more like a monster in my eyes. This was worse than Canteran, much worse.<p>

"I can't find him! I can't find Bull!" I heard behind me with the recruits under his command. Having me panic. I saw him only once in this whole battle, running with his rifle towards the enemy with his leader-like stature on his body. Was he hurt? I and to go find him and make sure he was okay, making me realize that I was going to get an earful from both Doc and Joe if they knew what I was doing.

I then saw him, running for dear life with no helmet on while being chased by the peppering of a machine gun on top of one of the buildings. I bolted after them, thinking this was a stupid move on my part, but I had to make sure that he was safe. Stupid me and my stupid need of protection. I wasn't getting fired at, but I had to be more careful as the machine gun hit the tank that he ran behind. I bolted after him, faster than even and catching up to him before I knew it.

"Bull!" I screamed, having me see him look behind me and then grabbed my jacket to keep up with them. Before he could say a word to me, an explosion was right behind the both of us, such a force slammed us down into a trench and we both fell on our faces and chests. I felt my breath leaving me, Bull gasped out as if he was hit. It was a moment for us to collect ourselves, but the moment was gone when I saw Bull look behind us and see that the tank was still rolling after us, and it was on fire.

"Marley, get out of here!" He yelled at me, the both of us still running beyond normalcy. Before he could say another word to me, an explosion was right behind the both of us, such a force slammed us down into a trench and we both fell on our faces and chests. I felt my breath leaving me, Bull gasped out as if he was hit. It was a moment for us to collect ourselves, but the moment was gone when I saw Bull look behind us and see that the tank was still rolling after us, and it was on fire.

"Move! Come on Red, we have to Move!" He grunted to me over the fire as we both started to crawl in the trench as fast as we could, the tank getting to us faster and faster. I could feel myself getting tired as we kept moving, but nothing was going to stop me at this point. I could hear Bull grunting through some kind of pain that he was feeling in his shoulder, I could see the crimson on his jacket.

"Keep going!" I heard him tell me as he looked at me briefly over his shoulder. I kept pressing on, hearing the telephone pole above us snap in half as it was mauled down by the tank. Someone in the distance screamed, "Bull!" But we kept going, having me see an opening into a sewer system that Bull was getting to. He shoved it open using the back of his rifle, getting inside and pulling me in as well.

The area was to small for the both of us, having me stay behind him as he closed the gate, shielding us from the German soldiers running up in our direction and over the hill that was above us. They didn't see us, but this meant trouble. We were stuck here, with none of our men in sight, and we had to wait until we were safe and away from the Germans. I gulped, looking over at Bull who was still watching the area carefully.

"Where's Easy?" I asked him, seeing him look back at me with worried eyes.

"I don't know, Red. We're stuck here." He explained to me, having me watch with him as German were still going through the small city and talking to each other in their heated language. Stuck, no longer able to move or get out of there in time to find our company. If we left the hole, we would be shot on sight. But if we stayed since we would be lost without our men.

"We need to stay out of sight until nightfall, that's our best bet. Then we can hightail it out of here and find Easy." Bull explained to me in a whisper as we saw more and more men coming through the area. I leaned back against the brick wall that was behind us, having me close my eyes and breathe. We were literally sitting ducks, waiting for our funeral.

Oh Great.


	16. Chapter 16

"Wait until I give the word." Bull said to me as I was still crouched behind him in the underpass of the small hill, the sun was long gone and the moon was over the town that was still in smoke and ruins from the battle that we lost in. It's been a few hours since Bull and I hid away from the Germans, and we still had no idea where the rest of our men were. They must be long gone now, if not in another battle. I felt useless then, being only with Bull and not with the men who needed a Medic. Was Winters freaking out over Bull and myself being missing? What about Doc? He would be having a field day with his co-medic next to him. And even worse: Joe. I need to start taking care of myself when it came to making rash decision and having my own life in the balance because of him. He would be having a heart attack by now as I peered over Bull's shoulder, looking at the vast area and seeing no one in sight.

We had to be sure, very sure, that we were not going to be seen. I trusted Bull though, he was a leader now with his own recited men under him that met him at the bar sometime before. I doubted they would be worrying about him right now, as the rest of Easy. Would they be worrying about the both of us though, still out in God knows where? Maybe they thought we were dead, but I doubted Bull wanted to keep them waiting for any longer. He wanted to find Easy again, as did I.

"Now!" Bull hissed, throwing open the gate and running with me behind them. I followed him as he ran towards a barn with an open door, the both of us crashing into the barn and me throwing it shut. There was no gunfire, no rustling of feet behind us, and no Germans yelling. We were safe. Both Bull and I looked out through the cracks of the wooden door, seeing nothing as the town was still falling to pieces. I sighed in relief, having me rest my forehead against the door, thinking that we had a personal victory. I heard an explosion go off, having both Bull and I look at the already dead tank, seeing more flames from it. It might have been from the equipment, having me see Bull look behind us that barn we were in.

It was medium sized, hay al over the floor with small compartments around the sides that were meant to hold cows or horses. The scent was of a barn for sure, having me breathe in the animals that once lived here and the hay, along with the wood and the smoke from the battle. Bull and I walked over to one of the compartments, Bull going to the corner and sliding down to sit as I did the same next to him. As he sat down, he grunted, a bit of pain showing in his face as he was still holding his gun. I threw off my helmet, feeling the soreness in my head and my eyes from the explosion that knocked me off my feet. My neck was stiff and my chest felt bruised all over.

Bull started to unloaded the things off his jacket as I took off the satchel, pushing through the equipment that I had left over from the Battle. It was only one roll of bandages, no powder for pain or sulfate, nothing really for cleaning blood. My pack was pretty much useless now, and it made me mad as I saw Bull put his American flag that on his other shoulder away in his pocket.

"You best do the same, Red. In case we run into some trouble." He recommended me, having me look at my own flag. I carefully took it off, folding it neatly and placing it in my satchel before looking at him.

"Give me your best bet, as to where Easy is?" I asked him, knowing that he would give me some kind of a rough estimate.

"I'm thinkin', they'd be around the farmlands by now with the counter attack going on. I doubt they'd stray far knowing that we're both missin' in action so to speak." Bull explained, having my eye go wide.

"MIA? Are we technically MIA now?" I asked in a hiss, having me watch his serious face as he nodded his head, still grimacing from a pain he was harboring. He took someone out of a compartment of his gun, giving it to me and having me take a bite: some kind of jerky.

"Holy Christ." I muttered, eating the jerky and the both of us having a calmness between us. I hated thinking that I was MIA, it sounded to reckless and too scary to go through as a soldier. Our moment of silence though was cut short when we heard someone coughing outside the barn. Bull got up, and as I was about it, he put his hand up to me to motion for me to wait. He faced me completely, signing _Stay here _ and then looked around the corner, having me hear the door opening and someone coming inside. After a moment of two of the person walking, Bull darted out and grabbed what looked like a farmer, shoved him against the wall and placed a knife to his throat. I shot up as well, walking over to stop Bull from doing something stupid to a citizen.

"Bull." I hissed, seeing him first look at me and then at the doorway, the farmer as well. I did too, seeing a teenager there, a girl with blond hair looking at Bull with big petrified eyes and filled with fear. This was too much right now: they did nothing wrong. I placed a hand on Bull's arm, seeing him still stare at the girl as if he was waiting for her to do something, but she was too scared to even move from her spot. No, they were not the enemy, not to me.

"Come on Bull." I urged him gently, squeeze my hand on his arm as he took a long breath, slowly lowering the knife from the farmer's throat. I smiled at the girl who was looking at me now, showing both of my hands in a sign that I too was no threat. Before they could say anything, we then heard the commotion outside. Bull immediately grabbed both the farmer and his daughter, showing them in the same corner we shared moments before and I followed. Bull picked up his gun and crouched down in front of us, watching the door as I saw the farmer and daughter cower together, holding each other close. I stayed next to them, crouched low and waiting for something to happen.

It was a tank, having me make no noise at all as it rolled by the front door, giving me the feeling of pins and needles all along my skin and down my spine. Once it rolled away, Bull sighed in relief and walked over to us, about to sit down when I saw the pain in his eyes.

"Here." I said, grabbing his arms and helping him down, hearing him grunt as he made contact with the hay floor. I analyzed him, seeing the torn jacket on his shoulder and the crimson there. I moved between him and the farmer with his daughter, both of whom looked just a concerned as me as I saw the wound on his shoulder. It seemed bad, having me see the sweat on Bull's face and the pain there in his eyes. He was too stubborn to try and show it: typical Easy man.

The farmer pointed to the wound, as if he wanted permission to help. Bull looked to me, clutching his gun as if it was his life source and his way or coping with the pain. I nodded my head, having me see him show his wound to me and then I looked to the man. How was I going to talk to him now since I didn't know a lick of German or even Dutch for that matter. Why couldn't he be French?

"Scissors?" I said aloud, thinking that he knew. He shook his head, having me try making my two fingers look like scissors. He shook his head, patting the pockets on his jacket to show he had none. I sighed, going to the jacket shoulder blade and ripping it open slowly. The blood was there, tainting my fingers and making me looking around to see what it was. Something was in there, and it was too stubborn to get out by itself. I had to force it out, but with what? I had to think, really think since Bull was here in front of me struggle to get through the pain in his shoulder blade.

The farmer then dug something out of his jacket, having me look to see that it was a flask. He knew what I was about to do and he was trying to help, having me want nothing more than to try and communicate with him in order to thank him. He gave me the flask, having it open the top and pour a bit on the wound. Bull hissed, closing his eye briefly before I motioned for him to drink. Bull shook his head, having me grimace as I handed the flask back to the farm who placed it back in his own pocket. Okay, what was this going to look like. I patted down my now jacket to see if I had anything else to work with besides my fingers, but Bull beat me to the punch. He was holding out his knife for me to use, having me take it and start the process.

Blood pouring out and onto my fingers and his jacket, Bull grimacing every once in awhile with a new angle that I was using. I was trying so hard to be careful and not give him more pain, almost being down with the whole thing. The farmer and daughter were looking over my shoulder at the process, more intrigued by it and less scared of us. I could even feel the farmer placing a hand on my shoulder to somehow let me know that he was there for me if I needed help.

I got the piece of metal out from his shoulder, sighing in relief as I there it on the hay floor. Bull was satisfied, breathing out slowly and leaning against the wall that we were near. I then looked around for my bag, but I did see it. The farmer spoke something to the daughter, whom got up and moved over to the other side of Bull, grabbing my Satchel that I left there and handing it to me carefully. I smiled at her, seeing her nod at me and I went for my last bandage. Before I knew it, he was bandaged up and fine. The farmer then handed me a spare handkerchief to dab out the blood, having me then smile at him and dab it away from on top of Bull. There was a sense of peace then, the four of us there. I was forever grateful for this father and his daughter, saving us from what could be out there and not turning us in.

"Thank you," I said to the both of them, knowing that they cannot understand me, "_Danke?"_ I tried with the one German word I knew. They both still didn't understand, having me just smile at them. Of course, they wouldn't know German They only knew Dutch since we were in Holland. We then heard another noise outside, Bull shooting up and the farmer with his daughter towering together once more. I waited with them, having me watch Bull and his new bandaged shoulder as he peered out into the darkness. From what I could hear, more Germans were there and it did not look good.

"They're coming." Bull whispered in panic as he then bolted back to us. I grabbed the daughter as Bull grabbed her father, having us usher them over to the door on the side of the bar. We needed to get them out of there and not get hurt because of us. As we reached the door, the both of them smiled and patted us on the shoulders.

He kept talking to us over and over as Bull looked out the window to the door to see if it was safe.

"Go! Go!" He urged, having me nod my head in agreement. But someone opened the main doors and we all fell to the floor within seconds, having us all freeze and watch as four men come in, laughing and talking. They were searching the place, Bull crawling up to a part of the side compartment and me right behind him. I looked behind me, seeing the Farmer and daughter go to another hiding spot, the Germans were still talking and then three of them left after a moment to looking around. I thought we were in the clear, having me look over Bull briefly and see the four look down at the floor, seeing something on the ground and then squatting to grab it. Bull's bloody Handkerchief.

Damnit.

I sighed in pain, Bull closing his eyes as the man looked around more to see what else was there. We left something out in the open, and now we could be dead. I looked again, seeing him slowly start to go out of the bar after peering around closely. A noise was there suddenly, from behind the both of us and the man shot back around, gun out and ready as he started speaking out in German.

Bull was taking out his Bayonet, getting it ready on his rifle and I tapped him, seeing him look over at me. I signed to him, _What are you doing? _ I was scared, thinking that he was going to go out there and get himself killed. He sighed, signing back to me _We need to stop him, Red. _He looked back out to have me hear a plane going over us, which was perfect for him since he was slowly getting up when the German's back was to us. Within a moment, they started to fight.

Chaos was loose.

They were fighting as if they were holding swords, trying to swipe at each other. I watched as the German was stabbed, but then he stabbed Bull back in the arm. I shot up then, not wanting him to get hurt once more and I ran over to the German soldier. I found myself still holding the knife that Bull gave me running at the German in a bolt and then getting him in the rib below his arm before he could even see me. There was no way I was going to let him hurt Bull, but after all that he did for me now. He grunted out in pain, throwing the gun at my face and hitting me hard in the cheek. I screamed out, being thrown back and hitting the back of the column behind me.

"Marley!" Bull yelled in both concern and panic as he got the German's attention once more. I shook off the massive pain in my face as I saw the German now being thrown to the ground and stabbed by Bull's bayonet. I could hear Bull grunting through every thrust and having me see the blood pour out of the now the dead body. After a moment of stabbing him, I saw him look up and over at me, though I stayed still from seeing him kill a soldier in front of me. I knew he was doing that to both protect me from getting even more hurt, but to stop him from getting other soldiers to get to us. He looked like he was in the zone there, still a soldier in his own mind, but it took him a moment before me moved the bayonet from the man's chest. He walked over to me, helping me up and looking at me with his intense eyes.

"You alright there?" he asked me, pointing to my new bruised eye and cheek. I nodded my head saying nothing as we are both done and ready to go find Easy company again. This was close, too close. We needed to be safe and away from harm, it was no joke.

We needed to go home.

* * *

><p>"Why did you come after me, Red?" Bull asked me as we were both sitting again in the barn, alone and side by side after Bull buried the German in hay to not be seen. It must have been early in the morning now, and neither one of us wanted to sleep since we were paranoid about the Germans coming again. I looked ahead, my cheek must of been now black and blue and my neck was still stiff.<p>

"What?" I asked him, not understanding what he meant.

"Earlier today, when I was running, you came after me. Why?" He asked, looking over at me and having me see his sweaty and almost bloody face that was also exhausted. I thought about it for a moment, but knowing what to precisely tell him.

"You looked like you were in trouble." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.

"So you just ran, without even thinking about it?" He asked with skepticism in his voice. I shook my head, now giving him demanding and determined eyes.

"I thought about how I wanted to make sure you were safe Bull," I explained to him, seeing him go silent as I went on, "It's one thing being a nurse and waiting for someone to get hurt, but it's another stop it before it happened. I wasn't going to watch you get killed in front of me when I knew I could have prevented it." He said nothing after I explained what I was feeling. I would never sit and watch someone in my Company, someone whom I considered a friend, get hurt. Bull was almost about to be killed and I had to save him somehow. I had too big of a heart to let someone I know get hurt without me stopping it.

"You were trying to protect me?" he asked me, having me smile and feel the pain of the bruise tearing into my face as I saw him watch me.

"We're in this together." I only said back to him, something Buck told me before when he save my own life on my first night in Normandy. I wanted to say the same to Bull, who did defend me and saved my life from the German. There was a part of me that did not want to be seen as a liability, someone who needed saving. No, I wanted to be the one saving people's lives. Bull skilled finally after a few moments looking at each other, having me see that all was well between us. Even though we were MIA and not knowing if we were going to find our men again, I was glad to be there with Bull.

We were at a good place for once that day.

* * *

><p>Bull and I walked out of the barn in the daylight, having me squint and look around me. There was a sense of silence around us. No one was around, having me see the town was still in ruins as we walked together, staying close in case of something happening. Where was everyone? Why did I have a sense of peace over me now more than before? I could feel the bruise on my cheek growing now to almost touching my jaw and eye as I watched Bull stop in front of me. He was looking down at a body, an American body. He looked do young, so young and innocent as I watched Bull squat down to grab his dog tag. Looking around, thinking that we might need to move soon, I had to figure out how we were going to find our men again and where they would be. I was no good with navigation, I had to remember where we came from before we had the battle, which direction was it?<p>

But that moment of thought was gone when we heard a vehicle coming our way. I tapped Bull on the shoulder, seeing him get up and push me behind him, thinking it was a German vehicle. HIs rifle was in one hand and the other was shielding me from what could come. But it was an American vehicle, a small one. I sighed in relief and joy as Bull held the gun over his head to show that he was okay and that he meant no harm. I was glad they found us, the worries were far gone now and it was peaceful again in my brain.

We were safe.

We rode in the small car that was taking us back to our men, having me feel the wind against my battered face and in my hair as we drove on the pace road, away from the town. I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the wind soak over me like water as if I was going under and being clean again. After I opened my eyes, I looked over at Bull who looked worn out, but none the less happy. We were heading back to our men and no longer in danger, so I would feel the same. Hell, I was. I could see us slowing down when we spotted a soldier no too far off from the road along a hill. The soldier raised his gun over his head, showing he too was not harmful or a threat, another American solider.

We stopped the car, Bull looking over the side and the men rushing over to us, as if they knew him. I didn't know any of them personally, all but one: Webster. He was with them, and as soon as he saw me, he went to me as the others went to Bull and smiled, as if they were children seeing their father after a long day at work. They must be his recruited men under his leadership.

"Where the fuck have you been?" One of them asked as Webster rushed over to me with a big grin on his face. I hopped off the car, seeing him and hugging him close. It was good to see his face again, at least someone from the Company whom I knew and cared for. His hug on me was gentle, not fierce, but kind.

"We thought of the worst with you two," Webster said to me in the hug, pulling away and seeing the bruise on my face, "What happened with this?"

"German hit me with his gun, Bull took care of them." I explained, having Webster grin at Bull, who smiled back at him with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I don't expect anything less from Bull." Webster commented, having Bull shake his head.

"She saved me from an amputated arm, this one." He explained, pointing to his shoulder blade as Webster then looked back at me in amazement. I only shoved my hands in my pockets and shrugged, thinking about it. It was nothing to me, only trying to help him. Webster nodded his head, as if he was giving me his approval for doing such a thing.

"Come on, I know a bunch of guys who are looking for their favorite redhead."

* * *

><p>I hopped out of the car, Bull following and the other five soldiers including Webster as we were back in a clearing, being back with American soldiers. I sighed, looking around to see whom I knew and I was just glad to be back around Americans, since I had too much time around Germans for me. Some of the men were pointing and smiling as they saw both Bull and myself alive and well. But it was Guarnene and Lipton, who saw me first, smiled and yelled out to me.<p>

"Marley! Bull and Marley are back!" I smiled from hearing the sheer joy on their faces. The men ran over to the both of us, having me see their familiar faces and then they all hugged us close, a massive group hug. There were at least 30 of them hugging us very closely, having me loose air, but not caring about that. I hugged as much as I could with anyone that was close enough. To hear their voices and to see their faces, it made my own heart explode inside of me and made me want to cry from just being happy and safe with them. Luz was the last to hug me, then giving me a stern look on his face and jabbing me lightly with his finger.

"Don't ever do that to us again, you hear me?" Luz said to me as they all crowded around me, having me smile as he looked so serious at me as a father would to a child, "Both of you! We thought you were dead, or worse."

"No way, not me." Guarnene reassured me, winking at me as the men laughed, having me smile next to Bull.

"Who gave you that shiner?" Muck asked, pointing to the bruise on my cheek. I was about to say it, but Toye beat me to it.

"Some Kraut I bet." He replied, having me smirk at him.

"We'll get them back for ya, Red. Make no mistake, not one messes with an Easy member. If one of us gets hurt, we all hurt them back." Guarnene said in a vow, having the rest of the men cheer in agreement. I felt more hugs around me and men telling me that they were glad I was back and alive. But then the men parted for the both of us, having me see who was on the other side of the men looking at me in such shock and joy on his face. Joe Liebgott, the one person whom I was fighting to get back to. He was frozen in his spot next to Nixon and Winters, both of whom looked very relieved to see me.

But my mind was in Joe, and I rushed over to him. I literally jumped in his arms, feeling him hug me back and not say a word to me. There was nothing to be said, not one thing. I knew he would be and at me for making him worry or be in fear and that he was happy see me again alive and unhurt. I just closed my eyes, drinking in the fact that I was back with my men and with Joe, whom hugged me tightly and tried to hard not to kiss me in front of the men. All was well with me.

All was well.


	17. Chapter 17

"What are ya working on, Red?" Luz asked me as I was leaning against the wall in our new location, writing out in my journal and blinking a few times in order to stay awake. After the incident in the Holland town, I got a huge earful from Doc, almost as bad as Luz was when I came back with Bull. He told me never to do that to him again or he'll tie me to a building before I could go off and do anything stupid, in which I smiled at him in return. Who knew he had an older brother streak in him? I had to explain to him all that happened: The Dutch family helping us and the German Soldier that Bull killed. He seemed a bit better about it, not too much since I was MIA for a whole night. My own bruise was still there on my cheek, now spreading to the whole cheek and was still a nasty light yellow and green with a hint of blue in it.

Even Joe was still pissed off about me running off without giving anyone a heads up. These days he's been on edge, even with me when we would talk every once awhile coming to and from a town. It was as if something was eating away inside of him, something nasty and bad that I was not bale to get to in order to fix. But that night hew as on patrol with some men, leaving me with Luz and Winters, along with a soldier who found a German Shepard somewhere at sometime. The dog seemed to be infatuated with the soldier, playing with him and the stick he was holding. I never had a dog, but he seemed nice enough to the soldiers around him.

"My medical journal, since we are in need of one and needing to keep it up to date." I explained as I wrote down the days some more and who was injured. It was true, our medical journal needed to be out to date since the Colonel was going to need it sometime soon before I would get in trouble. Doc had his own, and the both of us almost looked identical since we were part of the same battles and the same struggle.

"Way to be a team player." Luz commented to me in an undertone, having me chuckle from my spot and then see Winters smile from his spot as well. I then had another thought as the German Shepard barked at the soldier whom he was attached to, waiting for him to throw the stick.

"You know what's up with Liebgott?" I asked aloud to the both of them. Winters didn't move from his job, but Lux looked up and gave me a quizzing took.

"What do you mean?" He asked, clearly not knowing where I was going, "Isn't is always walking around like there's a stick up his ass?"

"No. I mean, he doesn't seem like himself lately." I explained some more, hoping what I was saying was working. Winters paused a Luz rolled his eyes.

"You know how Joe is: He has a vicious streak against the Germans ever since we came here, maybe even beforehand." Luz told me, ruffling his hair as I watched him carefully. Vicious streak, what does that even mean?

"Streak? What is that supposed to mean." I asked, not getting what he was telling me.

"Look, I know none of us are far too keen about the Germans right now since we're practically here to kill them, but Joe seems to hate them more than the average American here, you know?" Luz asked me, having me think about it and have him watch me. He never said no good thing about them, well, none of the others did. But Joe seemed…..vicious, far more vicious. Why didn't I see it before? I sighed, looking back at the journal as Luz asked the soldier what he was going to name the dog.

"Trigger." The man replied with a grin on his face. But my mind was back on Liebgott, who showed more colors to me than he did before.

"La Noux." I heard from near me, having me look up and see Winters now watching me with worried eyes as I dozed off with the journal in front of me, having me worry about the man whom I was falling for harder and harder. Was he that vicious and cruel in his own mind? Would I even get past that, knowing that I was here to serve people? Was he here just to kill people? Did he like killing people?

"You alright there?" He asked me, having me look up from him and come back from my thoughts that were plaguing me. I nodded my head as I gave him a short smile. He wasn't buying it, not from what he was seeing on my face. But before he could even talk to me, I saw a group of men rushing in and they were carrying someone in their arms. Someone got hurt, having me throw down the journal I was holding and rush over as they cleared the table and got the injured man on the top of it. One of the men carrying him was Joe, looking determined to get the man inside. I moved to the head, having me see the young man there and him just staring up at the ceiling and his face looking so cold and shivering. His leg was torn up in the blood and some of his jaw was red. His body on his left side as blown to bits but he was still there. I cradled his head as I looked behind me at the other men.

"Get Doc Roe quickly." I ordered them, someone running off as I looked back to the young soldier whom the others were calling Alley, "Take a nice deep breath, Alley. I have you right here, okay?"

"What happened to me? What happened?" He asked me in a soft tone, still confused as to what was going on.

"Where was it?" Winters asked Joe as I looked at both of the eyes of Alley in front of me.

"Crossroads, along the dike." Joe replied, getting a spare bandage and placing it on his own neck that I could see as bleeding.

"You know if it wasn't for your big mouth, they wouldn't have known we was there!" Another soldier argued with him in retaliation.

"You know what, why don't you back off!" Joe said back to him in almost a bark, having a third soldier break the two apart from before they would kill each other.

"I need my satchel, please." I said aloud, having Luz come over with my bag and I dug through it, getting some of the powder that was needed to calm down the pain that I could bet was soaring through the wound he was harboring. Winters barked out an order to them, having me hear Joe curse under his breath as Doc ran over finally and got to work on Alley. He was more qualified in this than I was, having me clap him on the back.

"You get ahead, Doc." I told him, seeing him nod his head and start telling the other soldiers what to do with Alley. I grabbed Joe before he could even get an order, pulling him away from the scene in front of us.

"You, come with me and I'll get that stitched up for you." I explained pushing him onto a chair that was against the wall. I grabbed the satchel again, ruffling it through and the getting what I needed before I looked up at him. Joe wasn't smiling, nor was he too pleased on being here. He just looked as if he was having the worst day of his life. I got to work on his neck, hearing him say nothing but hiss every once in awhile.

"Joe," I said to him, not seeing him look at me at all, "Talk to me Joe. What happened out there?"

"We were just on patrol, that's all." he said in a short manner to me, having me eye him suspiciously as I got the bandage on him nice and clean.

"That doesn't sound the whole thing from what I'm getting here." I said back in a light tone, trying to somehow lighten the mood that was there between us. But he wasn't buying it, not once as I got some of the blood off his neck and cheek. The familiar feeling I would get from touching him lightly wasn't there, maybe it was because he wasn't his lighthearted self when he was usually with me. This was something else, something darker.

"Why do you wanna know anyhow?" He asked me in a low tone, having me eye him and move away from him then. This was not the Joe Liegbott that I knew, something was wrong with him and he was getting it all out on me. I watched him carefully and he watched me back with cold eyes now.

"Because I care about you, that's why." I replied back in a bold tone, no longer light. He scoffed, having me look at him in pure amazement to this new side of them that was never shared between us.

"You care about me now?" He asked his voice a bit louder than before, having me look back and see Doc still working on Alley with some of the men helping them. I looked back at Joe, seeing a smirk on his face that looked like he was ready for a fight.

"What in the hell is the matter with you, Joe?" I asked him in a low tone, "You've been acting like this with me ever since I came back with Bull."

"Maybe it's because of the fact that I had no idea where you were, let alone if you were alive at all." Joe spat back at me, the both of us fighting so hard to keep our voices down at this point, "And it's even better when I see you with a shiner that is taking up half of your face because of a fucking Kraut giving you the ass end of a gun." I glared at him now, having me see his vicious and evil side come out when he started talking about the German but using the term that sounded far too cruel.

"Why don't you call them by their real names, Joe. Why not call them Germans?" I asked him back in a counter argument.

"What, you gone soft on them already?" Joe asked me, raising himself up from the chair to be bigger than me. But I was holding my ground with him.

"Since when do you think I would go soft for them. It's one thing to call them by their real names and hate them, but to use slang against them?" I asked him, my voice going a bit bigger now since the argument was getting more serious, "As I recall, you hated the phrase Son of Abraham." As soon as I said that, he glared at me now with such hate that I could feel it seep under my skin.

"That is not the same." He gritted through his teeth, trying too hard not to yell at me,

"It's not?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, "It's not the same thing? I think it is. I don't care if you have a personal vendetta against the German, I really don't Joe. But don't drag the rest of these men and myself down with you when you find yourself lower than the mud they walk on."

"I'm not going to stoop to that level, Marley. They're fucking Krauts!" he proclaimed to me in such a bold tone that I suddenly lost it in that moments.

"They are humans!" I screamed at him, having the whole are go quiet and everyone looking at the both of us. I was fuming, both of my hands were making fists at my sides, my eye glaring at him and could feel the anger soaring over my whole body. This was too much for me, coming from him. I know I was fighting for America and for us to win this war, but I knew too that we were fighting other humans that were also fighting for their right to live. I grew up with the notion of right and wrong: what Joe was doing, was wrong. I knew it, and for some reason it took me this long to see it.

Joe watched me carefully, his eyes were now in a bit of a shock from my outburst but I knew he was still too stubborn to say otherwise. He was holding his ground, as was I. Two stubborn fools who were trying to make sure they were right and other was wrong.

"They are human beings, Joe. I don't care what they've done and where they have come from: they are still humans who are fighting for the same thing as us. I don't want to see them as anything else than human." I told him in my boldest tone, the area was still quiet as the whole area was watching us now, no one moving or talking. Joe scoffed at me again, having me shift my weight on my feet as he got closer to me.

"You know, I've always wondered why you're not a soldier. But now I get it: you have no spine to shoot a man down." He sneered at me, having me loose my own breath as he insulted me for not having a spine. I had nothing else to say to him since I was now seeing him in a new light: a cold one. I just took in a deep breath, letting that insult sink in and I looked down, no longer wanting to look at him and I said nothing. He was probably right: I had no spine to kill a man. However, I was not going to let that stop me from showing it to him.

"Oh shit." I heard behind me, having me notice that the others were listening in and I looked back at Joe, seeing that my eyes were on the brink of tears then. I would be fine if I heard it from anyone else in the Company. Hell, it sounded like something Guarnene would tell me. But not Joe, coming from him made it hurt even more. He saw my eyes, and I could tell something shifted in him when he saw me and how I was affected.

"I may not have a spine, Joe. But I'm not a heartless killer, like you." I said back in a lower tone, then turning my heel and walking away from him. I pushed past the the soldiers that were still there, most of whom moved out of the way from me as I escaped the room and out into the open where I could hear the current battle that was happening around me. I sighed, looking out and around me at the flashes of bombs going off on the landscape and hearing the clattering of gunfire in the cool night.

Joe and I had a huge fight, having me see him in a new shed of light now and hating it. Why didn't I see this before, why couldn't I stop this from getting worse for me now than when we first met. I should have stayed away, listening to my head more than my own heart. I needed to breathe, to forget his own face and move on. That's what a good soldier would do. But me? I was too occupied by the venom that was seeping through his teeth and eyes when he insulted me. Why Joe? Why he of all people?

"Marley." I heard a familiar face behind me, having me look over and see both Doc and Luz there, standing about 15 feet away from me and looking just a torn up as I was. I wiped away the tears from my own face, seeing my hands were still shaking and still cold from the feud as I looked back away from them. They walked over to me, Doc on my left and Luz on my right. Doc took my hand in his as Luz just stayed there, looking serious which was new for me to see since he was always a barrel of laughs.

"You okay?" He asked me in a low tone, having me say nothing at first but sigh out in a shaky tone.

"I can't stand him anymore." I just murmured, feeling Doc's hand in my own tighten from the tone in my voice. I sounded so sad, but it was laced with pride as well.

"He's a handful. But what he did in there was wrong," Luz reassured him, having me watch him as he too was watching the battle from far away, "Give him time to think about what he said. He'll come back around."

"I don't want him to," I said in a bitter tone, having the both of them look at me now, "He took it too far for me." They said nothing as the three of us looked out into the battle. I needed a cigarette, even a beer, something or anything that would take the pain away from what just happened. After a moment or so I felt something tugging at my shoe lace as if it was trying to pull me somewhere. I looked down, seeing something that took my berth away and was surprising at the same time. Doc and Luz looked as well, having me see Luz smile widely and Doc looked with a raised eyebrow.

It was a puppy. A German Shepard puppy.

"Look! A little scabber!" Luz said in a grin as I leaned down to grab the puppy, who was playing with my shoelaces with his puppy teeth. I grabbed him, pulling him up with ease and he licked my face. I had a small smile on my face, it felt odd to smile from recent events that happened to me. But the puppy licked me some more, along my jaw and on my cheeks.

"He might be an orphan." Doc suggested as the puppy snuggled into my arms, having me hold him a bit closer with my one arm, "His mother must of been killed in this whole war."

"Looks like you have a new friend to fall in love with, eh La Noux?" Luz asked me in his grin, having me eye Luz from my spot and then the puppy, "You can keep him you know."

"You think?" I asked him with a hint of optimism in my voice.

"Of sure. I know soldiers keep dogs all the time. And you can train this on too. Maybe he can be the new Medic Mascot. You know?" He asked in a shrug of his shoulders. I smiled from the thought. it would be nice to have a dog around here, let alone a puppy. I needed something to keep my mind off of Joe and all of his hate on the world, and if it wasn't going to be medicine, then it would be a puppy. So I looked over at Doc, seeing him eye me suspiciously as I held up the puppy to him with my own puppy dog eyes.

"Can we keep him?"

* * *

><p>Doc and I rolled up in the jeep to the aftermath of the battle that just broke out, having me watch as rolls and rolls of dead bodies were passing us by and we were going to to fetch the rest of the wounded that were waiting for us and the other medics to come and get them. After my fight with Joe, I've tried to hard to ignore him and keep a fair distance from him. The others knew about it too, sensing the deep rift between us and I could see them watching me for my own reactions about the situation. I was not going to let him ruin by time here, not with my mission still at hand.<p>

I saw the puppy's head poke up from the backpack that I had on my lap, watching the action and I smirked. I got the blessing from Winters that I could keep the puppy though he was convinced the puppy would be a burden more than a blessing. But I reassured him that I would train the dog to stay with us and not be a distraction, though I had no idea who I was going to train him. Thankfully, Toye knew a thing or two about training dogs since he was erased around them since he was a kid. He was willing to help me train the puppy, which made me glad that he was still willing to be nice to me without losing his cool.

Doc smiled from the seeing the puppy looking around, his tongue out and looking with his big brown eyes and his floppy ears flying in the wind.

"How's it going with your little adopted child there?" He asked me in a grin, having me pat him on the shoulder as we chugged along the road to get to our next spot.

"Don't be jealous, Doc. I was thinking that you could be the father if you wanted to." I teased him, seeing him roll his eyes as I giggled. We pulled to a stop, having me sling the backpack straps over my shoulders with the extra weight in it from the small puppy. He was staying in my pack throughout most of the days, though I would have him out running around to stretch his legs. That was my next task: find him a collar of some sort and a leash so he went won't off. Doc and I hopped out of the car, walking over to the wounded area where other medics were getting them ready to be loaded up and head back to CB. Most of the men that were injured were too far out of it for us to talk to, maybe it was the drugs that were taking over them.

"Come on." I urged Doc as we got a stretcher ready for another wounded soldier who was looking alright. We got to work, loaded and unloading soldiers as fast as we could and got them ready to departure. I had my mind occupied by the men, seeing home over and over with her heads in my hands and having me tell them that they are okay, nothing was going to happen to them, and they were going to live. As the count of men booming less and less, I looked over my shoulder, seeing Winters talking to another official about something serious from the look I could see on his face. Was he being evaluated? Did he do something wrong? Or what it something he did that he was going to be praised for? I had no clue, not anymore.

"Let's get them some coffee, it looks like they need it." Doc suggested as we were finished with the loading of men. I nodded my head, following him with the puppy still on my back, licking at my ear and having me grin. I reached behind me, grabbing his ear and seeing him nip at me playfully. I saw a winded Luz walk over to me with a grin, ruffling the dog's head as we walked together.

"He seems to like you, this one." He commented as we all walked over to the area where they were serving coffee. I nodded my head, having me look at Luz and see the radio on his back.

"How's your back doing with that thing on, Luz?" I asked him in wonder, having me see him shift the thing around on his back as if it was about to pull him down.

"I'm used to it now, though this things not as easy as my old girlfriend back at home." He joked, having me shove him playfully away from me, hearing him cackle in laughter as I grabbed him a tin of hot coffee, giving it to him and seeing him smile in relief. It was nice to be around Luz, he was a breath of rest air for me and a good sense of humor in a time of war. He knew how to lighten a mood, having me watch him take a long sip and smile so widely.

"I feel like a million bucks now. Thanks, you dame you." He said to me, having me nod my head once as he ruffled the pup's head once more on my back, the pup barked at him once in return, "You need a name of him."

"I know, though I don't know what to name him." I replied, having me see him eye the dog and then smirk at me.

"How about John Wayne? He looks like him." Luz suggested, having me shake my head at the thought of naming a dog after a movie star. It didn't seem right to me, having me see him shrug at me again and walk off as I noticed Doc handing a weathered looking Winters a cup of coffee. It was a peaceful morning there for us, though peaceful was the wrong word to use since we were always at war. It made me think back to Joe and our fight: him hating the Germans beyond measure. A part of me wanted to talk to him and make amends, but another part was still angry a thin for what he called me and how he said it. I sighed, looked back at puppy on my back. He rested his chin on my shoulder, having me feel him nuzzle against me and I stroked his nose.

* * *

><p>"Red, we're needed! Something happened to Moose!" Doc said to me, tapping me on the shoulder as he was about to run out of our room that we were sharing. I saw our puppy sleeping against the wall, knowing that he wasn't going to anywhere since the rest of the boys were there as well. I followed suit, grabbing the satchel in the process as we ran into the dark quietness of the night. Apparently there was a mishap that happened with Moose, one of our members and another soldier who was still new to the whole thing of war. Winters was with them, seeing the whole thing and we ran to see what happened to Moose. He was bring brought over on a small combat vehicle, out of it and almost dying on us as Winters yelled for a stretcher. Doc went to him quickly and I helped him down on the stretcher on the floor.<p>

"I got him, Did you get him morphine? How much?" Doc asked aloud as he got Moose under the arms as I held Winters with his legs.

"I don't know: two or three syrettes maybe?"

"Three Syrettes maybe? Jesus Christ, are you trying to kill him?!" Doc asked in anger as we got him on the stretcher and ready for the car that was waiting for us to take him to the hospital. "You don't think it might be important to let me know how much medication the man has had, huh? Because I don't see one Syrette on the man's jacket."

"Sorry Doc." We hauled him up on the platform in the car, having me help shove him inside gently as Doc went on with his rant.

"You know, it's a good thing he's a big man. Maybe he'd stand a chance." I looked back at Doc, seeing the anger fuming in his face as he was trying to make sure Moose was going to stay alive. I was a bit peeved too, since the wrong amount of medicine would in fact kill him, but Doc was on overload with anger and I was so close as to pulling him back from biting both the soldier and Winter's head off.

"He was in a lot of pain, Doc. We didn't know what to do—"

"Well, you outta! You know you are officers, you are grownups! You outta know!" He barked at them, pointing his finger at the both of them and having me see the sting of hate in his eyes for them going beyond his call. They said nothing as I grabbed his arm, pulling him into the car with me before he would get himself in trouble.

"Come on, let's go!" I yelled, hearing the car roar to life and seeing Winters shut the door behind us. Doc and I sat in silence as Doc looked over Moose, having checking his pulse and then getting out the bandages to change them from what he had on already. Winters tapped the door twice with his hand as we started rolling out of the area. I had to take a deep breath, breathing into my cold and shaky hands as we were taking Moose over to the hospital. What a routine for me to have: to be going in and out of the darkness and saving lives. I needed a break, both Doc and I did. I looked out and over to the back door window of the car, having me see the bloody handprint that was left there. That represented my life.

My life was a bloody handprint at this point.

* * *

><p>"Come here you." I said aloud, pulling the puppy out from my backpack and keeping him on my lap. He yawned, snuggling into my lap and falling asleep as we were watching a old movie of John Wayne in a large room, some of us in engrossed silence as we were etching a break for the night. The men were under the command of a man named Dike since Winters took a job out in Paris was now Colonel Sink's new executive officer, no longer out commander. It hasn't felt the same since he left, having me wonder if he would ever come back for us and be our leader again. Ever since coming back from being MIA, nothing has felt the same. I doubted it ever will.<p>

The puppy was fast asleep as I was sitting next to Luz, who was engrossed with the film. Toye and Lipton were in front of us, trying to watch, but Luz would quote the movie with his accent every once in awhile. I grinned, not saying a work as I stroked the fur on my puppy's head. I nudged Luz, seeing him look over at me as I saw Malarky sneak his way over to Muck and Perconte, whispering to them about something exciting and then getting a earful from Lipton and Toye to shut up.

"I thought of a name of him." I whispered to him, having me see him look down at the pup and then back at me with a small smile on his face.

"And what would that be?" He asked me, having me grin at him before answering.

"Archer." He looked at me with a confused look, almost surprised really as I smiled big at him.

"Archer? Really?" He asked me, shifting in his spot. I nodded my head as I heard the movie going on around us.

"It's good name, you think?" I asked him, looking down at the small bundle of fur in my arms. He was fast asleep, having me kind of glad that I had him in a confusion time for my life. Luz nodded his head, stroking the top of Archer's head before going back to the screen, tapping Lipton in the shoulder to his get attention.

"This is my favorite part: Got a penny?" he said the line in such a accent that it was thick next to me, After repeating it a few times, the woman on the screen said the line finally. Luz laughed as Lipton rolled his eyes. What a peaceful moment for the whole lot of us: watching a movie and not having a care or worry in the world. But it was cut short when the lights went on and the men were getting angry that was movie was cut short, Two officers walked down the middle of the room, having me sit up and watch next to Luz as he called us to be quiet a few times.

"The 1st and 6th SS Panzer Division broke through the Ardennes. They overran the 28th Infantry and the 4th." he explained, having us all mumble from what was said. This was not good on our part, not one bit.

"Officer, report to respective HQ's, all passes are canceled." As soon as he said that and started walking away, another uproar in the room started since were about to head out into another area for battle. I got up, Archer in my arms and he was still asleep as I walked out with Luz. It was going to be a tough fight in the cold, freezing cold. I wasn't going to look forward to it.

But I had nowhere else to go.


	18. Chapter 18

All I felt around me was the cold, bitter cold. I shivered in my coat, walking in the snow with my backpack on, Archer poking his head out and looking around as I was walking in our new home: Bastogne. Ever since we were brought out here to take care and finish the job that the other men tried to start, it was nothing to coldness and us trying to survive the winter. Some of them were used to since, but I wasn't. There was no snow in Louisiana, not the kind of snow like this anyways. I hated the cold, I preferred the heat over anything. So this whole situation left a bitter taste in my mouth. But it was not as bitter as me still trying to get over Joe Liebgott.

But it was harder than I thought.

As I was walking in the snow, my mind was still going back to him and how it didn't feel right talking to him anymore. I had to rethink my motive here in the army, why I was here in the first place and what I was meant to do. I didn't need his vicious way of thinking against the Germans, which made me ask myself why I hated it so much. They _were_ humans, not monsters or beings with no minds and emotions of their own. My religious side of me came out then, having me remember the things my mother taught me: Love the sinner, hate the sin. I then sighed in my spot, the air escaping my lips and having me see it in the chilly air. I had to talk to Joe, it didn't feel right me not saying a word to him. But when was I going to muster enough strength to just look at him?

I saw a figure ahead of me, having me pause and see the soldier wanting by himself towards a spot in the forest. The trees were bare and covered in snow white and ice, having me then touch Archer's head, who was looking around curiously.

"Down boy, down." I commanded him, eyeing him tuck his head in the backpack and I walked over to the solider standing there. There was something on his arm, a white band. Smiling in relief I knew it was Doc, but why was he out here by himself, walking like he just saw a ghost. I jogged over to him, but he didn't look back to see me or to smile. Something caught his eye, something serious.

"Doc." I said to him, standing next to him and see what he was looking at, my optimism was long gone now. We were in front of frozen bodies, all who looked fresh but none the less dead. It seemed morbid for me to see this since it could happen to us at any time. We were beyond freezing, and this was a normal death now for us to get used to. Carefully and without rushing myself, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back with me. Something went off in the distance, far away, like a gun. We had to get out of here.

"Come on Doc. Come with me." I urged, seeing him then turn with me and we both started to jog. The sound came back again, a little close but still farther away for us to go warn someone in out company. we jogged then, not looking back again as we came across Winters, trying to shave with a cold tin of ice water and his brush. Once we were close enough to him, we heard another sound, having all three of us freeze and Winters get up slowly. He motioned to us to get down.

"Down, you two, down." He whispered harshly, Doc and I crouching low and waiting for something to happen. Nothing at first, even for a solid 20 seconds. We then followed him around the corner, staying behind him and then seeing pull up his gun to aim at a shadowy figure that was a bit away from us. I could only make out his figure since the snow was thick enough to engulf him the scenery. Winters spoke in German a couple of times, having us wait and see what would happen. Everything nowadays was in pins and needles, and the silence was killing us from the inside out.

I hated the silence.

Doc and I watched in silence as Winters talked to the men in charge after he sent the captured German soldier away, tossing Doc a roll of bandages and having me smile at him. We were too low on supplies, far too low for me and Doc to get used to. We were literally begging for anything that we could get our hands on, Medic Spina as well since he was a medic with us there in the winter-like fortress. It was getting to the point where Doc and I would have to make rounds to other Battalions and see if they had anything. Well, Doc would. He wanted me to stay with the group in case they needed someone there.

"We need more medicine." I whispered to Doc, seeing him nod his head as he went to talk to Winters about our situation. I looked behind us both at the men, all who were freezing in their spots and trying to lighten each other up in the mood. I could tell the winter was getting to each of us, no longer light but bitter in our own ways. For some reason, my eyes landed on Joe, who was talking to Toye and Lipton, but then he looked at me too. Before we could even stare at each other for one solid second, I looked down and away hearing Archer ruffling around in my backpack. I shrugged the thing off, placing it gently on the floor and seeing him pop his head out. I dug out a small piece of jerky I had left for him.

"Here you go, you scavenger." I replied to the puppy, seeing him eat the jerky in a greedy state in my backpack as I smiled slightly. It stilled pained me, not being able to go to Liegbott and tell that that I was sorry. What was holding me back from him? I didn't have time to think about what until I saw Doc come over to me, a huff in his stance as he shoved his fair cold hands in his pockets once more.

"Come on, time to beg."

* * *

><p>"You don't have any medicine on you?" I asked another soldier in his foxhole, having me see him shake his head at me.<p>

"Sorry Marley." He replied, having me sigh and get up from squatting next to his foxhole, shifting the collar of my jacket up to cover my neck as I smiled at him briefly.

"Thanks." I replied, walking away and looking at the area. I already asked all of them for things we desperately needed: Morphine, plasma, bandages, and scissors. It was one thing to tear with your hands, but when your hand are getting iced over, it's not clean enough. No one saved their morphine from the incident in Holland, since they used it then and not thinking we would need it now. I wondered how Doc was doing with his own hunting as I went to another foxhole, hopping in and seeing that I was with Muck and Malarky.

"You boys got anything I need?" I asked them all in a huff, having Muck shake his head.

"I got nothing' for you, Red. Sorry." he replied as I saw Malarky go into his jacket and take out the small yellow blanket that I was needing.

"I didn't use it, thank Christ for that." Malarky explained to me as I grabbed it and placed it in my satchel.

"You're making me fall in love with you, Malarky." I said in a comment as he grinned at me from ear to ear.

"I knew you loved me!" He commented, having me hear Muck groan as I then shrugged off the pack, placing it in between them.

"Keep an eye on Archer for me, will ya? I need to keep hunting for some more supplies." I said to them, having Malarky move the top of the bag away and Archer move his head around, lapping at his fingers with his tongue.

"I'll do my best as his Uncle." Malarky said back to me in a grin as I hopped out of the foxhole. I could run faster with nothing on my back, not that I hated having Archer with me.

"Thanks, Uncle Malarky." I said over my shoulder as I jogged to the next foxhole, hearing Muck laugh and Malarky as well. I was trying to keep my spirits up with the cold, but it was getting harder and harder for me to move around since my body as wanting to freeze over. I needed warmth, and it was hard for me because I was so used to it from the Louisiana sun and heat. I was afraid that I was going to die out here than anywhere else in the freaking war because of temperature.

"_Gingembre!"_ I heard Doc call out to me, having me look over my shoulder and see him jog over with a serious look on his face.

"I sent Spina out to the 3rd Battalion to find anything else we need. What do you have?" He asked me as he was trying to rub his hands together for warmth.

"I got one thing of morphine and an extra thing of socks we can use for bandages in case we are desperate." I explained, having me see him watch my hands carefully. I looked down too, the tops of the hands were tinted blue. They were going dangerously cold now. Doc immediately grabbed him, having me grunt as I felt him trying to warm them up.

"You need to watch your hands, Marley." He explained to me as I felt the warmth coming back very slowly but surely, "You're no Medic without your hands."

"I"m nothing without my hands." I muttered to him, feeling the sense of hopelessness come through me like a wrecking ball. Doc looked at me with his cold serious eyes now. He squeezed my hands tightly.

"Hey." He said, getting my attention back on him now, "You don't talk like that. You hear me?" I nodded my head, seeing him smile at me slightly before releasing my hands and having me shove them in my pockets again to keep them warmth.

"I'm going over tonight with Babe and Spina to find more supplies. You mind staying here in case something happens?" He asked me, and I shook my head. I was fine being alone at this point, more than fine with it. Hell, it was fine being surrounded by people whom knew what was going on with me and Joe and were afraid for another powder keg of an explosion.

"Fine by me."

* * *

><p>A couple of more days came and went, Doc and I finding time to ourselves together during meals that were scavenged around in the area. They were slim to none when it came to food, but I was just glad to have something in my to stomach that was not going to want to come out when I had to down for a few seconds. I was mostly used to it now: walking around by myself with Archer in my pack, keeping myself busy with more hymns and songs in my head, and having meals with Doc. Most of the time we were in silence together, no need for talk to chit chat. I think we both were trying to survive by just helping as much oxygen in our mouth as possible.<p>

At night, we would take turns with our rounds, going around to make sure others were okay and try to cater to them. One night Doc even found out Toye has had no shoes on him for awhile and he needed to find him some. I felt bad for Doc, seeing him being overworked constantly and not able to rest. I tried to pull more of my own weight too, not wanting him to have most of the burdens.

"Take a load off Doc. I have this now." I reminded him, seeing him look at me with hesitance before he settled to sleep in his own foxhole. I placed Archer next to him, he snuggled into Doc's arms and they both slept. Closing the drape over the hole, I walked from there around the area, having me see heads poke up and see who it was walking by their homes. Once they saw it was me, they went back talking or sleeping. I didn't mind walking by myself, not really. It made me think, both of good and bad things. Right now, I was thinking of home and how warm it was. It made me feel warmer already, so I kept thinking about the summer time and the humidity that hung in the air.

"Hey Red, sing us a song will ya?" I heard someone yell out from a foxhole, having me look over to see it was Guarnene, who had his head poked out and looking over at me with a hint of hope in his eyes. Others agreed with him, having me smile as I stood in the freezing cold night. Would Joe want me to sing at this point? I didn't mind, having me clear my throat as I started to sing an old hymn that I remembered from my mother:

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

_My father is a hard-earned worker; my mother has a heart of gold._

_I was never much younger, but I feel twice as old._

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

I could picture her in my head, putting the clothes on the line in the spring time near sunrise and me sitting there on a log, watching her as she sang with her sultry of a voice that made me wish I sang like her. Her hair was blowing in the wind, her voice was carried to the sky and she was heavenly.

_But I've got money for food and a little bit of gasoline._

_I've got plenty of time, but I want everything now._

_I don't need no gold or silver,_

_Oh, I only need a few new things._

_Oh, I would buy pearls for my lover,_

_Oh and a brand new set of guitar strings._

I smiled through the song though I could hear another conversation happening next to me. Someone was talking to another person in a soft whisper, too soft for others to hear. But I heard it clearly, for some reason as I continued with the song.

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

_Stone cold broke in the middle of the winter, oh like a poor man's son._

_I feel a cold wind blowing;_

_Dark clouds form on the western sky._

_I've got a feeling like knowing that everyone here will someday die._

"_Ich vermisse sie_." The voice said, having me hear that it was on the brink of sadness. I knew that voice, but I didn't want to say anything. He was talking about me for certain, but what was it? I had no idea. But I heard someone else reply back to him, since he too apparently knew German as I walked away and back to my own foxhole.

"I know, and I bet she misses you too."

* * *

><p>I hopped into another foxhole, covering myself with my arms as another tree fell to my left and shook the ground. We were under fire, and both Doc and myself were scrambling around to help out whoever needed it. It was harder for us, since we had hardly anything to work with expecting for the handle of morphine the Easy company men gave us the night before we were bombed. I grabbed the soldier who was hurt, looking at his damaged hands and started wrapping them quickly, taking out one packet or morphine and getting it in his system before he could even refuse it. After cleaning him off and getting him underway, I help him up from the foxhole.<p>

"Get to the jeep and get out of here, go!" I ordered him, seeing him jog with his damaged hands, having me hear another cry for a Medic. I took in a deep breath before hopping over and bolting to the sound of the cry. Bullets were all over the place, trees were being pierced as I tried to dodge the wood falling on me. I tried running as fast as I could through the snow, though it was harder than on gravel. Once I hopped over a fallen log. I was slammed to the floor from a bullet hitting my helmet. I grunted, hitting the ground and feeling the snow against my skin. I tried to breath, but the force from the bullet made me loose it for a moment.

"Medic down! La Noux is down!" I heard from afar, someone was watching me. I looked up, seeing the foxhole where the damaged soldier was. He needed me, and I was not going to let a bullet to the helmet slow me down. I shot up, bolted as fast as I could and within seconds I hopped into his foxhole. He was screaming in pain as the other soldier was shooting away from us to the Germans. His ankle was broken, a clean break and the blood was pouring out.

"Hold still, soldier." I urged him, seeing him close his eyes as I wrapped the ankle after cleaning off the blood. He couldn't walk, not like that. Once he was finished, I got him up on his knees.

"Help me carry him." I told the other soldier in a grunt as I got one arm around his waist he got the other, the three of us shooting up from the foxhole and running over to the vehicle that was taking wounded from the battlefield to the hospital. We tried to run with him, but it was harder for me since the wounded soldier was heavier than me. But we got him there in time.

Doc was already there, going to the hospital with the wounded soldiers already there. I got the man on the jeep in time for Doc to look over at me, clasping my bloodied hand in his own stained hand.

"Take care of them." He said to me, having me nod once as he drove off with the wounded, away from the battle and I was left there. A bunch of men needing me and looking to me for help. I took in a deep breath, taking off the helmet that I was wearing and seeing the bullet mark that could have killed me if I took off the helmet that moment.

Lucky bastard.

* * *

><p>I prayed with the rest of the men, having my eyes closed and saying what I needed to say in my head. A combat priest was there with us that day, having us receiving blessings and for us to get our prayers and confessions out of the way. I was glad for it too, since my heart was so heavy from all the things around me. We were all saying our last prayer when I heard the jeep coming up behind us, hang me think that it was Doc coming back from the hospital. I opened the eyes, hands were folded, and I looked up at the Priest. He was still reading from the bible, my eyes then going over to Joe for some reason.<p>

He was next to Luz, who was still praying. But Joe wasn't praying. His eyes were open and looking ahead at the floor near his knees, having me wonder if he was okay. One of these days we were going to have to talk, once and for all. But the priest finished the prayer, having me cross myself before getting up slowly with the rest of the men.

"Fight well for your God and your country. God Bless you all. Stay safe." The priest said to us all as I looked over, seeing Doc coming back with a cart filled with supplies. Both Spina and I walked over to him, seeing him look at the both of us.

"Battalion wants a reconnaissance patrol. Kraut Hunting." Spina explained to him as Doc nodded his head, handing him the crate.

"All right, I'll go. Take these. Give the boots to Joe Toye, and tell him they are a nine." He explained to Spin was we both started walking together to the Easy Company men that were ready to travel.

"Let me go with them, Doc. I can handle it." I said to him as we were approaching Sargent Jonny Martin.

"I can do this, Marley. The men need you here." He argued with me. We both stopped in front of Martin, who held up both of his hands to us.

"We only need one you guys. Doc, sit this one out since you're been running around as it is. Red can come with us, it's not a big job." He explained, having Doc look over at me and see me nod my head at him. He needed a break, a bit one, since he's already gone back and forth enough as it is. He sighed, nodding his head.

"Yes sir." He replied, having me smile at him and then follow the group out into the patrol. I looked back at him once more, seeing him watch me carefully as I moved farther and farther away from him. It was as if he was thinking I wasn't going to come back. I was coming back, wasn't I?

Would I come back?

* * *

><p>We were walking slowly, me staying close to Buck as we were moving our way in and out of the trees in the still silence. I was out in the far left of the group, having me look around to see if we too were being watched. It was an eery feeling, to eery for me to get under my skin and used to. This was better than being back at the base, doing nothing again. But then I saw we were crouching low, having me do the same as someone was hearing something that they were used to. I waited, along with the men as we were about to go and take cover. I looked over to the other side, seeing Sargent Martin tell a younger Solider, Private Julian, to go and get ready. But as soon as he was out in the open, shots were heard and he hit the ground in blood.<p>

Panic.

I was about to go over to him when bullets were flying at me, A bullet grazed over the shoulder strap to my satchel, having the strap snap off my shoulder and I felt the bullet pass over my jacket. If it was a centimeter lower, I would have been shot. It hit the floor as Luz grabbed my arm, having the both of us run away from it and over to cover. The bullets were everywhere now, and I was caught in the middle. It was having me crouch down behind a log with Luz and we were waiting for the gunfire to let up. But it was no use. We were literally stuck there.

I peered over the log again at Julian. He was still on the floor bleeding out and Babe and Bull were with Martin now, trying to figure out what to do. My mind was back on the blood on the snow, a silent invitation for me to come and get him out of there. This was my job, and I had to do with without fail or worry. Once I heard no gun was happening within a second, I bolted.

"Red!" Luz said aloud after me as I ran, having me dodge the trees and the wood flying in my direction. One tree was shattered to my left, having me feel the wood slam into my face and the splinters being injected into my skin. But I had to run to get to Julian. Once I was near him, I hopped behind the logs where the other three men were.

"We need to get him out of there." I said to the men as they continued to shoot the Germans from their spot. I was about to go for my satchel, then I realized. It was gone. I panicked, looking around to see where it was when it hit me like a ton of bricks.

The satchel was gone. Oh God no.

The bullet sliced it off, having me look behind me and see it there. 600 feet away. In the white snow and it was waiting for me. I was nothing without my medicine, and I had to go get it. But it meant that I was throwing myself in the open fire and I was about got be asking for a bullet to the back if I ran.

"Shit." I grunted. Bull then was looking at me and seeing where I was looking. He saw the bag too, then looking back at me and seeing the look of determination and stupidity on my face. I had no choice. I was nothing without it, and I needed it.

"Don't you dare." He warned me, but I got to a squatting position behind the pile of logs. This was stupid, really stupid what I was about to do. But it had to be done.

"I need to get that bag, or else I can't help him." I hissed at him, but he shook his head.

"You'll be shot, Red." He warned me, having me glare at him one last time.

"I'm not letting another man die while I'm here breathin'. You have another idea, be my guest." I said to him, having now Babe and Martin look at me, then to Jullian who was on his last leg. I had to get the bag to him to at least buy him time before we got him out of there. I was willing to put my own neck on the line for the kid, since I knew they would do the same for me. Bull already saved me once, as did Buck. It was my turn to pay them back. Before they could say anything to me, I turned on my toes and ran as fast as I could.

I ran, ran and never looked back once. I saw the bag getting closer to me as I was dodging bullets flying my way and the tree parts falling on me. I had my eyes on the prize, and the after I ran, the more confident I got. They weren't going to touch me, I had no weapons on me to hold me down or slow me up. But as I ran, I thought back to the other times where I had made a stupid move and almost got killed. This was the icing on the cake. Doc was going to be mad, as well as Winters. But would Joe be mad at me now? Was he even knowing what was happening to me?

I wished he did, I wished that we never fought at all. It left a sour note in my chest and head as I was getting closer to the bag and having the victory be against my fingers. That fight left something cold in me, something cold and vile. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him again, to feel those lips that were cocky and flirtatious against my own and sweep my mind to something beautiful and eternal. Goddamnit, I loved Joe Liebgott.

I loved him.

I slid on the snow on my knees, grabbed the satchel and holding it in my hand. The two straps that were broken were flapping in the wind as I reverse my direction to run back to the men. They were still firing as I was trying so hard to keep the pace I was at. I could hear some of them yelling at me to run, run for my life and back to them where I knew I would be safe.

"Run, Red! Run!"

"Keep goin', girl!"

"Don't Stop, Red! Keep running!" I listened to them, knowing that this was do or die. The closer I got to them, the bigger target I was and the firing would be on me now since I was in the wide open. I dodged the trees, bullets hitting them as I was getting faster and faster. Jullian was still on the ground, bleeding out and he was my next destination. I had to run with my legs and fight my lungs to keep up with me as I was literally sprinting in the snow now. I was about to reach them, so close with about fifty feet to go when it all happened. So quickly yet so slowly.

A grenade went off.

The grenade launched me in the air, flying up high and the chill of the air was slamming me hard in the face. My helmet flew off of my head, having me see my red hair floating as if it was weightless around my face and neck. I was flipping in the air, still holding the satchel. Everything slowed down in my mind, having me close my eyes and brace for what was going to come next. I could hear the whistling of the wind going against my ears and helmet as I was then slammed into a tree. The tree hit me so hard, breaking something inside of me, that I was knocked out when I fell into the snow beneath me. My hair sprawled out like a halo around my head, though I felt death creeping on me.

I saw nothing but darkness, not at first. I opened by eyes over briefly, the pain soaring through me. I heard someone scream out. My breath left me as I knew that voice: Joe. He screamed, the scream sounded like he as dying.

"MARLEY!"

And I was out cold.


	19. Chapter 19

I could hear my mother singing to me, her voice was filling the air as I stood in the middle of the tall grass. The sun was high above me, having me see my red curls flowing in the wind across my freckled nose and my dark green eyes as I looked down to see I was wearing a white cotton dress. I was a child again, 9 years old and standing in the middle of a field as my mother's voice was filling the air above me and below me, almost as if the voice was surrounded me all over the place in the middle of the field.

_As I went down to the river to pray_

_Studying about them good ol' ways_

_And who shall wear the starry crown?_

_Good Lord, show me the way._

A grenade went off in one part of the field, having me see the explosion and the soil flying in the air around the area.

_O sisters let's go down_

_let's go down, come on down_

_O sisters let's go down_

_Down to the River to pray_

Another grenade went off as I started to walk amongst the grass, the sound still being sung by my mother as I looked ahead at something shining in the distance. It was tinted gold around something shining so bright it was white. Was it heaven? Am I dead? It felt no pain, nothing but peace in my body as more grenades went off around me as I walked, yet I was not touched and not even broken or dirty from all of the explosions. It was silly, this kind of dream that I was having. It felt like a dream, yet I felt as though I was still alive and walking myself. The only thing that was shooting in this whole thing was my mother's voice. How I missed it so, and her arms around me to hold me within the nightmares and the fears of this world.

_O brothers, let's go down_

_Let's go down, come on down_

_O brothers, let's do down_

_Down to the River to pray._

I passed the grass some more, ending at what looked like a cliff, looking down into pure darkness that was no longer in light and peace. I looked down at the cliff, having me then close my eyes and open up my arms. Something inside of me wanted to hum so quick to see what was at the bottom, but the other part of me wanted to stay in the light and be safe. As one more grenade went off behind me, I leaned forward me and I fell into the darkness. I no longer heard my mother singing as I fell into darkness.

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes slowly, having me blink a few times before I noticed where I was: a hospital. I wasn't on the line anymore, which meant that I must have gotten hurt. I saw see that I was alone as well, not with other patients in a row of beds. I was cut off with curtains on three sides and one side was the brick wall behind me. I could hear the other noises of the hospital, patients getting medicine and doctors giving out orders. It was still odd that I was alone.<p>

That could be bad, real bad, since they only isolate wounded soldiers if it was severe, or they were contagious for some reason. Was I contagious? What was going on? My head felt heavy, even against a pillow and being under blankets. I had no understanding on what was happening to me, and of what really did happen. All I knew was that I was in a bed, away from other people and I was alive.

Alive.

There was a nightstand next to my bed, having me see water there in a glass and also a stop watch, along with a journal and my saint's pendant. There was a chair next to that, having me think someone was sitting there, watching over me. Was it Doc that did that? Oh God, where was he? Was he beyond angry with me? Was he concerned? I just wanted to see him and make sure he was okay without me. What an idiot. I was a completely big idiot for doing that to him and the other men. I had to be the martyr for our men, all for one precious bag.

I tried to breathe, but my rib was on fire. I squinted in pain, moving my left arm from where it was on my side on top of the blankets. An IV was in it, having me see the veins of scars and scrapes on my freckles skin and having me squint at the sight. What did happen to me? I tried to remember, but all I could recall was me flying into the air with such a force that I was flung into a tree, then hitting the ground like a rag doll. It was the grenade that did it, having me loose my conscience for who knows how long. I could feel something wrong with my rib, having me wish I could lift the blanket to see what it was. But I had no strength left in my body from what happened.

"_Gingembre." _I heard near me, almost a breathless tone as I looked to see who it was. Eugene Roe, in all his glory and in his dirty uniform, was near the opening of my sectioned off area of the hospital room. He looked like he haven't slept in days, bags under his eyes and they were both bloodshot. I tried to smile, but it hurt working my cheeks up to move as he walked in carefully, sitting in the chair and watching me with his dark eyes. I stared back, hoping to ask him something, anything, that would get a conversation going between us.

"Am I dead?" I asked in a croak, having me see then two singular tears roll down his cheeks as if I turned on a faucet. That broke my heart, since I have never seen him cry. Not once. He was too strong for that, at least for me. He shook his head, his face still on the burns of tears as he took my hand gently in his, having me feel they were cold and calloused. I watched him as he finally spoke up again.

"You're alive. By the Good Grace of God, you're okay." He said to me, having me smile from my spot. Just hearing his voice, although it was broken, was enough for me to get through what was happening with me.

"I'm so sorry." I started, my voice was still wheezy and out of place from not talking for awhile, "I didn't mean to make you cry—"

"Quit it." He said to me, having me go into silence as he talked, "I was worried that you were dead, Marley. Don't you ever scare me like that again, ever. You get me?" I nodded my head, seeing him smile again with his glossy eyes and I took in a deep breath. The breathing sucked since the ribs were still on fire, having me grunt in pain and Doc shot up from the chair, carefully moving my arm and lowering the blanket for me to see what was happening. I saw my whole waist covered in gauze and bandages, a tainted red was there and I looked in horror.

"Doc." I said in a broken tone, not liking what I was seeing.

"You hit that tree, your rib fractured from the impact." He explained it, having me watch him as he examined my bounded waist. I noticed that I was wearing a tank top with my brassiere and some shorts underneath, boxers from what it looked like.

"You also took some splinters to the face, getting a few scrapes here and there on your face and neck." Doc went on, having me reach up to touch the light scabs on my face under my fingertips. "Bull came and got you, carried you back to me at camp and we got you here in the hospital." Doc went on, lowering the blanket back on my body and rubbing his eyes. I watched him as he looked like he went through hell and back.

"You need to sleep." I told him grabbing his hand in my own and squeezing it like a death grip.

"I'm fine." He replied, having me scoff at him and shake my head.

"You're not fine. You look like you're about to collapse on me and pass out. Go sleep, I'm not going anywhere. I can have another doctor dress me—"

"No one else is going to help you but me," Doc countered with me, having me see the seriousness in his eyes. He wasn't going to let anyone else help me out, except for him. I nodded my head, knowing that it was one thing to argue with him, but to never cross him. He gave me a short nod before checking my IV.

"How's Easy?" I asked him, seeing him look at my vitals before back at me.

"We're moving over to the town of Foy. From what I heard, Winters and Nixon are trying to figure out a new replacement for Lieutenant Dike." Doc explained, sitting down with me and telling me all that I missed. Lipton has been trying to help out with the leadership that was going on. The rest of the men were just trying to get over the cold, though it was getting more bitter by the day and night. Luz took over taking care of Archer, teaching him how to sit and stay on command such, though Doc commented that Luz would use his John Wayne voice to do it. It made me smile, knowing that the boys were okay really.

But my heart dropped when I heard about how Julian didn't make it. After me trying to save Julian and make the bonehead move, he was still dead. I could have saved him, it then felt like he death was going to haunt me forever. I started crying then, covering my face with my hand and trying to contain the sobs that were heard in my room. Doc held my hand the whole time, it was all I needed from him. I could even feel him sneak a kiss on my hand as I sobbed in my hospital bed.

"It's okay, Marley." He said to me over and over as I cried out my pain in both my body and in my heart. All that I was feeling, ever since landing in Normandy, was coming out of me now. I needed to have peace and rest, for the first time in months.

It was time to recover.

* * *

><p>I woke up again in the dead of night, having me blink twice before I could hear voices outside my area. I tried to figure it out, since it was hard at first for me to understand who was talking. But then it was clear as I came to, having me lay in my bed and hear the conversation.<p>

"I'm telling you, Private. She doesn't want to see you right now. Not after the stunt you pulled on her." Doc said in a threatening tone, having me hold my breath. Was he talking to who I was thinking it was?

"You think I'm proud of what I said to her, Doc? It's killin' me, knowing that I did that to her and then seeing her almost being blown to bits in front of me." It was Joe, and he didn't sound too pleased where he was. I missed his voice, just hearing it and nothing more.

"And you don't think it was killin' her too?" Doc countered, having me hear nothing from Joe as he went on with his rant against him, "You tore her up good, and she hasn't been the same since you two spat at each other. Right now she needs to rest, and you'll ruin it if you go in there." I felt bad for Joe since Doc was tearing into him for wanting to see me. Doc was trying to protect me, make sure I was no longer broken with a severed heart. He saw what happened with Joe and I, and he didn't want that again.

"I just want to see if she's okay, and I want to talk to her for just a minute." Joe said, having me hear the shuffle of feet.

"No way in hell, Liebgott. You have a lot of nerve showing your face in here. Go back to camp and be with the men, I'm not letting anyone see her right now. She needs to sleep." Doc said back in a low threatening tone, having me also flinch from my spot on the bed. I never heard him use that tone before, not even with Winters. He was personally trying to make sure I was safe from Liebgott. I heard nothing from Joe, but a long shaky sigh from him. He must have been torn up with the situation.

"Please, Roe." he pleaded in a broken tone, having me wish I could see him then and there. Something about hearing him so broken made me broken as well. I then heard Doc sigh, making me wonder if he was rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.

"Not tonight, Joe. Maybe in a day or two, okay? But not tonight, she _needs_ to sleep." Doc compromised with him, having me close my eyes again since sleep was coming over me once more. If there was one thing now that was certain about this whole damn situation: Joe still cared for me.

That brought me peace when I slept once more.

* * *

><p>"How are you feeling?" Winters asked me aloud as I was sitting in my bed, still in pain from the ribs that were still healing. It's been at least five days now since I've been at the hospital, having me wonder if I would ever come back to the line again with the boys. Winters came by as a visit, since he was swamped the Bastogne and Foy battles that were happening. I was slowly getting better though, much better as the days went on.<p>

"Fine, sir. Ready to get back on the line." I replied back, seeing him smile at me and nod his head as he sat in Doc's chair, who was watching us with his crossed arms.

"I'm glad to hear, but I don't think you should rush this recovery any time soon. And I don't think that'll be a problem with Doc watching you as your personal Doctor." Winters explained.

"No, sir." Doc said behind him as I grinned at Doc. I was not going anywhere anytime soon then with Doc watching over me, the protective brother that he was.

"I just want to make sure you are taken care of here. And once you're ready to come back to combat, we'll bring you back with us. Unless you want to head home because of something like this." Winters suggested, having me shake my head immediately from hearing the thought of me going home. It would be the safer option, but I couldn't leave the men. Not after all we've been through and endured together. I loved these men too much to just leave them now.

"No, sir. I want to be here with Easy." I explained to him as he watched me with his careful light eyes, "If I go home, then I feel like I'll be haunted by not being here to help you men. I want to help as much as I can." Winters nodded his head, seeing where I was coming from. I then looked past him at Doc, who showed me a small smile at me that he was fine with what I told him as well.

"Okay then. You'll come back to Easy when I get the green light from Doc, no one else. You understand me?" he asked me, having me nod my head at him. At least I was back on the good graces of Major Winters now, since he was more concerned about me and my well-being than the stupid move I pulled. He must have known not to press it more with me, since I still too stubborn to go back with what I believed.

I was good and gold with Winters.

* * *

><p>I was up another night at the hospital in my bed again. It was quiet then, most of the patients were all asleep, if not all of them. Another couple of days came and went, and Doc informed me that we were done with Foy and were moving on with the next town we were heading. By the time I was healing, he reassured me that I was going to meet up with the men there in no time. It made waiting for me more painful and more stressful since I wanted to leave now and see him all again.<p>

That night I couldn't sleep, having me sit up and looking at the medical journal that Doc was keeping, having me read up on what I was missing on the field. Muck was killed, having me worry about Malarky since they were close, and other injuries happened. It made me sad, since I couldn't be there to help out with the injuries and wounds. There was an attack on Easy in the forest, leaving both Joe Toye and Guarnene to loose their legs and to head home from the war. That pained me, but being able to see them again.

I heard something shift from the opening of my area in the hospital, having me look over and be shocked in my bed. Joe was standing there in the entrance, looking so awake there watching me. I said nothing, but everything inside of me wanted to run over and hug him. I was still bedridden though, having me not move at all from my bed. He as there, right in front of me and giving me the same stare that he has given me plenty of times before. What was I going to tell him, since I couldn't do anything since Doc told me never to move at all from my spot. There was no more feeling of hate to him, only happiness that he was there right in front of me. Even from where I was, he didn't seem angry with my anymore. Just sad, sad and happy I was alive.

"Hi, Joe." I said first, having me break the silence first between us. He stayed at the entrance at first, not moving for a second until he took one step in and was now fully in my room.

"Hello Marley." He replied. His voice was softer and more gentle with me than before when we spoke together. He carefully then walked over to the chair that was next to me, sitting in it slowly and facing me completely. His own face looked worn out from the war, not being able to shave for awhile and his eyes were more distant than before. He must have been through hell since I saw him last in Bastogne. I had to think of a way to apologize to him, how was I going to do this?

"Joe," I started, saying it carefully, "I want to tell you that I'm—"

"Don't." he interrupted me, having me look at him in shock as he was giving me his intense, serious stare. Was he about to pick a fight with me, now? I was about to ask when he went on.

"Don't apologize for something that I did, Marley. I was the one who made the stupid move to insult you when it wasn't my place. I am the one who should be sorry, beyond sorry then." He explained to me in such a bold and broken tone that it made me want to cry just hearing it come from him.

"Joe, we are both to blame here. We're two very stubborn people who refuse to be wrong when it comes to an argument." I explained to him, seeing him watch me carefully as I said this, though a smile broke out on my face from thinking of the two of us being at each other's necks. But then, a wave of sadness came over me like a hurricane. I as so sad about what happened between us, having me feel horrid our relationship was almost broken completely because of one argument. I took in a shaky breath, not wanting to look like an idiot anymore in front of him, though Joe was looking at me with a concerned look on his face and in his eyes.

"Can we just...forget about it, please?" I asked him in almost a pleading tone, having me almost want to break down in tears from the mere thought of us still harboring those ill feelings to one another. I hated that thought, it sicken me. Joe saw me from his spot, scooting closer quickly and grabbing my hand close to his within a moment.

"Sure! Sure thing, Marley. We don't have to think about that anymore." He said in a rushed tone, trying to help me out in the whole situation. He reached up to take away the tears from my damaged cheeks. Just his fingers on my cheeks made me feel joy again.

"No more of these, okay?" He asked me in his cocky tone, having me smile and nod my head at him. I then pulled him into a hug, feeling hug me gently as I leaned my head on his shoulder. His fingers against my neck and on my back as gently as he could touch me, having me think he was worried I as a porcelain doll now.

"I'm glad you're here." I murmured into his shoulder.

"I was just worried about ya, you know? I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat nothin' at all. The rest of the guys too. Man, are they worried about ya. And Doc, man was he a pain since he wouldn't let me get anywhere near you." Joe replied back to me, having me smile against his jacket.

"Good thing he didn't murder you." I commented to him, hearing him chuckle.

"He almost did, Swear to God. I have never seen Eugene Roe that livid before." Joe explained in a chuckle. We were both laughing in such a place in the hospital that it made no sense. I felt him pull me away to see me face to face, a smirk was back on his lips and his eyes were back to being warm and filled with life. He kissed me then, having me miss those kisses we would have beyond words as we kissed there in the small room. I closed my eyes within that moment, clutching onto his jacket for dear life with my healing hands, as if this was all but a horrid dream and I was still asleep in my bed.

"You know what?" Joe asked me as we pulled away from each other, having me watch him carefully and smile at him.

"What?" I asked him in wonder and curiosity. He looked at me, up and down, having me feel as though I was under his radar and the heat in my cheeks then was showing immensely.

"I had this dream, back in Foye when we were staying under the trees in the foxholes, that you and me were in Frisco together." He explained, having me smile and watch him as he kept talking, "You were in a nice dress, a beautiful one really, and we were just….walking on the bridge." I grinned at him from ear to ear. It was good to not only kiss him again, but to hear his voice and to talk with him about simpler things. I leaned in, resting my own forehead against his and we both closed out eyes. This moment between us was good, and it was what we needed since we were apart for so long. I was almost killed and that must of wrecked him hard.

"We'll go back to San Francisco, Joe." I said to him, "We have a promise remember? I'm not backing out on it, are you?" It was a promise I was intending on keeping with him no matter what the coast and how it was going to play out. Since I almost got myself killed, it was now up to me to make sure I wouldn't have another death scare. I could feel Joe sneak in a kiss on my lips before he answered me softly.

"Never in a million years."


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: This is a short chapter before I throw her back in with Easy. I wanted to have a chapter with both Marley and Joe, and I'll take her back in time for The Last Patrol. Promise! :) Leave a review, please!**

* * *

><p>"How are the boys?" I asked Joe as he sat in the chair next to me in my bed, the day before I was set to be released and sent back to the line with the men. It was an early night, having me glad that I had enough energy for Joe since he came over to visit for an hour or two. We were about to move to the French town of Hangenau, where I knew that I would have to be used as a translator at some point since I knew and spoke French as if I grew up there. Doc as well, which was funny for the two medics having to be the translators for the area. I was glad to do it, Doc as well, which was going to be harder for us since we would have to both be medics and translators. Joe was my inside eye for what was going on with my boys since I was stuck the hospital under the watchful eyes of Eugene Roe.<p>

"They're good, glad to be out of the cold and somewhere that's at least a bit warmer, though still too cold for me." Joe explained, having me smile at him.

"I wish I was with you guys." I confessed, seeing him roll his eyes and smirk at me.

"Oh, come on, you would of be frozen with us back there if you were there. It wasn't so great." He reminded me, but I shook my head.

"Being here in this bed was hell, Joe." I started, but he shook his head.

"I'm sure it was." He commented.

"I'm serious. I hated being in here and trying to get my own strength back, when I knew you guys needed me out there." I went on, having me see him shift a bit in his chair next to me.

"Marley, you needed to rest here. After nearly dying from a grenade, which anyone could have been killed from, you needed a breather. Spina was good enough for us when Doc was here with you. We were fine, trust me." Joe reassured me, having me shake my head in stubbornness.

"It's not the same." I muttered, seeing him chuckle and run his fingers in his hair.

"Damn, you're more stubborn than me." He commented, having me glare at him from my spot and see him smirk at me, the same flirtatious smirk that he would use on me before he would kiss me.

"And you're a saint compared to me?" I asked him back with a raised eyebrow, having me see him eye me then and nod his head.

"Point taken. We're both hotheads, too proud for our own good." Joe added, having me smile from my spot and feel the scabs on my face move with my cheek. Joe noticed this, having me see him reach up to touch the still healing wounds on my cheek as I stayed still and watched him carefully.

"These are healing up good," Joe said in a light tone, the smile was still on his face and I grinned back at him, "Though they make you look tough. Pretty as hell, but tough."

"Did you just call me pretty?" I asked him in a short laugh, seeing him trace my face with his fingers down my jaw, feeling him stop and then look over at me with a glint in his eyes. I could tell he hated that I caught him in a trap, but then again he was still in his flirting nature with me. What a cocky bastard, but I loved it anyways.

"Does it bother ya?" He asked me, the same thing he asked me when we were in the Bar at England after I called him out for flirting with me out in the open.

"It never has bothered me, Mr. Liebgott, and it never will be. But for you to call me pretty, well, that's a first for you." I explained, having me see him now roll his eyes from my calling him for trying something new with me.

"I tend to bring out the big guns when I'm around someone I like." He countered back, having me chuckle from my spot as he went on, "But you are pretty, too pretty for me."

"Oh please," I said in a snort to him, "Way to make me feel better about being in a bed, Liebgott. But no need to take it that far."

"You think I was just buttering you up with that?" He challenged me, a raised eyebrow and he leaned over to me, having me loose my breath for a moment since he was so close to me that it made me freeze, not want to move as he was pushing the boundary with me. What a thrill seeker.

"You tend to use your words to your advantage, Joe." I tried to hold my ground with him, but with him being so close to me and his smile making me weak in the knees, he was going to win this battle. How far was he going to push this with me before he knew I was going to snap.

"You are one of the most infuriating and scariest women I have ever met," Joe stated to me, "You are also one of the smartest, stubborn as hell, and not to mention brilliant when it comes to medicine, and your loyalty." I said nothing as he confessed this all to me, all that he saw in me. He was still smiling at me, his voice was soft and cool with a hint of passion behind it.

"You scare me, and you also make me so happy from just that goddamn smile you show me when you're happy. I never want to look at another smile on another woman after seeing that grin on your face, Marley. I can't imagine kissing any other lips than yours since yours are such an addiction that it's hard to break from it. You _are _my breath of fresh air, and I don't care if it sounds so sappy but it's true. And you should know: You are beyond beautiful to me. How's that for using my words?" Joe said the last part in a simpler tone, having me feel everything inside and out of me go so warm and so soothing, almost like I was cleansed in the most relaxing bath. He called me beautiful, something I would never think I would hear coming from his mouth. It sounded so sad, but I knew he was never one to show his true feelings to others, especially with the rest of the men in Easy. So it seemed natural to me to lean in and kiss him hard on the lips.

This kiss was far better and more thrilling in the pit of my stomach compared to the others kisses we shared. Those were gentle and careful, as if we were testing the waters with the both of us. But now, after hearing him tell me all these things to me and mean it, it made me want to show them what I was feeling for him.

As we continued to kiss, the kisses were bolder and I could feel myself trying to scoot closer to him as his fingers were back in my hair and along my jawline. I ran my own fingers in his short brown hair, having me hear him groan from the action and I did it again, just to get a rise out of him. But it was when I took the huge jump and traced his bottom lip with my tongue when he got up from the chair in a sudden bolt but never stopping his kisses. The chair fell over as he towered over me, kissing me as if his life depended on it and having me loose all thoughts going in and out of my brain. I have never been kissed like this before: it was beyond amazing.

"_Sie sind eine erstaunliche Frau_." Joe murmured against my lips as I felt him move his own lips against my jawline to my neck. I chuckled, having me groan then from feeling those lips against my skin. This was better than morphine, better than any drug that I could ever take in the world combined. Joe _was _my drug.

"Quite trying to flirt with me in German, will ya?" I gasped to him as I felt him smile against my neck.

"Does it distract you?" He asked me, having me pull away from him for me for a brief seconds before I grabbed his neck in almost rough state, pulling him down to sit on the bed with me so we could be level again. He grabbed my hand, intertwining it as we were still close enough to kiss. His lips were swollen from our heated kisses, his cheeks were rosy and his breathing was shallow. I took in a shaky breath, trying to calm my nerves as I smiled widely at him, thinking that I should tell him all that I thought of him.

"Since you spilled that much about me, it's my turn." I started, seeing him smile at me as I went on with what was going on in my brain, "You are a hotheaded, lanky, headstrong, and sometimes arrogant fool who happens to have a loyal heart and a grin that could make any girl weak in the knees, yet you only show it to me and no one else. I can't stop thinking about you, Joe, and I don't ever want to. Not until I take my last breath on this God forsaken earth." I proclaimed to him in a bold tone, having me see him watch him and see that he was slowly trying not to break in front of me from hearing those words that I gave him. I framed his face in my hands, having me see him lick his lips as I searched his brown eyes in wonder and admiration.

"You challenge me all the time with your stubborn ways, and I love it. So stop thinking you're not good enough for me, dammit." I ended, having me see him smile widely at me and I could see a tear escape his eye. I swiped it away with my thumb, having me feel him shutter from my touch on him and he rested his hands on my wrist, watching me carefully before he spoke up again.

"Can you promise me something, Marley?" he asked in a low tone.

"Anything." I vowed to him. I saw him search my own green orbs, having me wonder what he wanted me to promise. What he said next almost made me break my heart and have me cry in front of him because of how he said it and how he loped so vulnerable in front of me.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." I sighed then, knowing what he meant. I scared him once from the jump in Normandy, again in Holland by going MIA. But this, the recent event that had me go into the bed in the hospital, that made it all worse for him. Even when we weren't talking to each other, we were caring about each other and reach out for one another under the cover of darkness. Within our own minds we were screaming for forgiveness to one another, though we were both too prideful to spit it out. Joe saw me fly in the air and pass out cold, he saw me run like an idiot for something that was needed. And all he could do, was watch and not help. I put him through hell, he didn't deserve that pain and that agony from seeing me out cold on the floor covered in blood and snow. It made me realize, in how he screamed my name before I passed out, that he lost all sense of reality then since he thought I was dead.

I leaned up, kissing his forehead and closing my eyes, trying to hard not to cry in front of him and feeling him clutch my wrists with a bit of force since he too had his eyes closed. I felt the kiss for several moments, wanting to show him and have him feel what I was feeling to him and how I was feeling for making him go through that. It was haunting him, like a broken record, and I wanted to end it once for all. I pressed my forehead against his, having me wish that this moment between us. I loved him, with all my heart, and I wasn't going to hurt him ever again.

"I promise."


	21. Chapter 21

Doc and I rolled out from the hospital in one of the jeeps to take us to the men of Easy at our new destination. They've been there for the past day or two, already settled in the ruined buildings and making themselves look scarce. I was just glad to be out of the hospital now and going back into action and being able to work for once. After being in a bed for what seemed like months, I realized that I hated staying still for too long. It was so unproductive and not my kind of style; I needed to move around and to be entertained. It sounded like I was some kind of puppy, but staying still for me was pure torture. Thankfully Doc felt my pain, along with Joe, and he was glad to release me from the hospital bed and back out on the field. I was still in pain from my rib, which led to me needing to have a cane with me as support until I no longer needed it. It made me feel like a cripple, but then again I had no right to complain. The air was still cold, but not as cold as it was in Bastogne as we were going through the ruined town.

"How bad is it?" I asked Doc as we rode along in the jeep with the driver, who was too occupied with the road in front of us. I saw most of the buildings were so worn from the war, bricks all over the place and the scent of fresh smoke filling the air. It made me wonder, what did I miss from being out from the group.

"It's not looking too good." He replied, having me see him look dead on in front of us, "Lipton's sick and he doesn't look too good about it. You can take care of him since I doubt Winters would want you go out into the field right away."

"Agreed." I said back, having me close my eyes for a moment and drink in the fact that I was outside, no longer indoors and within walls that made me feel like I was in jail. No, I had a freedom now. Well, enough freedom that I could have as a medic. I smiled in my seat, loving the crisp air against my hair and face.

"_Gingembre?"_ Doc called me out by my name, having me open my eyes and look over to him, seeing him finally look at me.

"What part of New Orleans are you from?" He asked me in curiosity.

"I live off of Lake Pontchartrain. Why you ask?" I questioned him back, seeing him shrug his shoulders.

"Just wondering is all. I'm from Plaquemine." He explained, having me look at him in fascination.

"_Pas de la merde_, really?" I asked, seeing him smirk at me from my sarcasm. I giggled, the both of us smiling.

"I didn't know where_ precisely_ you were from, okay?" He asked, trying to get me off his back.

"Oh, _sans doute sans doute_. But one of these days you should come out to the Big Easy and go out on the town with me. We can get real food and listen to actual music for once since the last few years I have been deprived without my zydeco fix." I explained to him, hearing him chuckle again and nod his head. As the ride went on, having me then eye him with a question haunting my brain. I never asked him this question before, since I either and no heart to ask it or it really didn't matter.

"Why did you want to be a medic?" I asked him, more serious now than our little spat at each other before. Doc paused, sitting next to me and he thought about it. I knew his pondering face, I knew it too well when we would either be in the field or sitting together during a meal.

"I didn't want to be one, not at first. They made me one, and I thought it was some kind of mistake that they made with me. But I guess I saw it as something I could do that is good in this whole thing." Doc explained to me as we were turning a corner and still weaving around and through the town, "Once they gave me that position, I never wanted to loose it. I fought hard to stay where I was, even after you came along to Camp Toccoa." I never really gave Doc enough credit then be deserved, having me wish that I should have told him that he was a brilliant doctor. Plenty of times when we were alone, or out in the field. He was amazing, making me look elementary in his shadow. But Doc, from what I knew and have grown to know about him for the past years, was never proud or boastful. He was opposite: humble and kind. He never took one ounce of a compliment.

"If it helps, I think you're the best Medic this army has ever had." I said back to him in a tone to show that what I was saying was the truth. He watched me, seeing that I was giving him a gentle smile and a nod on my head. I wanted him to truly take that compliment and hide it away so he can feel as though he had the best decision that he could. He grinned at me, having me see that he accepted it wholeheartedly.

"_Merci_." He replied in a light tone, having me roll my eyes as I could see a tint of red on his cheeks, which was no from the cold.

"_Ne laissez pas voter émission de blush," _I commented to him under my breath as we were slowing down and getting close to our spot with the men. Doc rolled his eyes, having me see that we were both back on good graces. Once we stopped the car, Doc hopped off first and threw out his hand for me, having me grab it and trying to get off the jeep with ease. But the rib was still healing, and it was still in pain. I squinted as my feet touched the floor, having Doc freeze up next to me.

"You okay?" He asked me, having a lace of concern in his tone of voice as I screwed my eyes shut from trying to show too much pain.

"_Ça fait mal comme une chienne__." _ I replied in a grunt, having me hear him chuckle as I opened my eyes and glared at him.

"You were too stubborn to make the small morphine that I was offering back at the hospital, and this is what you get." Doc reminded me, having me roll my eyes as we slowly made out way into the building, Doc next to me as I was using my cane. He got me up to the second floor with the cramped staircase that made me feel as though I was going to fall through with every step. But the pain was nothing I couldn't handle really, it wasn't too much.

As soon as we turned a corner into the hallway, I saw a group of men in what looked like a parlor. I knew a couple of men as soon as I went through the archway: Luz and Malarky, along with a sick Lipton and Webster. I could hear their conversation from the hallway, having me so glad to hear their voices again.

"He's got pneumonia."

"I'm sorry." I knew that voice was Webster since he sounded so sincere and so calm.

"Why? He's alive, he's got a couch, a goddamn blanket. He's snug as a bug." Luz said in a cocky tone. Before I could even take one step in, all of the conversations that were going on with all of them were cut short as they were all looking at me now with happiness and astonishment in their eyes. Lipton was on a couch with a blanket, looking like death and pain. Luz looked older, his hair grew out and the glint in his eyes was now dimmed down. Webster looked healthy, since he was taken out from being shot in the leg before he could even reach Bastogne. He was lucky, not going through the winter hell. Malarky was by the window, talking to some new solider whom apparently was in some kind of command. He looked worse: a beard coming out and his eyes looking hollow and dark.

"Sweet Christ." Luz said aloud as he saw me, having me give one short wave as my other hand was on the cane that I was using. No one moved, nor did they say a word for a moment. It was as if we froze in time, having me worried that I did something wrong, or I looked like I was death. Did I look like that?

"You all look like hell." I said aloud in a cocky, tone, cracking a smile since I wanted to have whatever kind of mood this was to be light again. Luz then walked over to me, his eyes never leaving my face, standing in front of me just to be sure I was real enough for him to handle.

"You're okay." He simply said, almost as if he was in a dream. He then hugged me gently, having me hug him back with one arm and close my eyes for good measure.

"I am, Luz. I'm okay." I said to him into his hair as he pulled away, a big grin on his face.

"I know someone who was wondering where you were." He said in a big grin, running over to the other side of the room, leaning down into my old pack and having me see him pull out a familiar puppy. Archer was there, in his arms and he looked like he got bigger and leaner since I saw him last. I smiled a big grin as Luz walked back over to me, still holding him close to his chest as I saw Archer try to wiggle his way out of his grasp to get to me. Malarky left the other man and walked over as well as Webster over to where I was.

"There's your momma, scavenger. He's been missing you badly, you know." Luz said to Archer as Archer wagged his tail from seeing me. I grabbed him in one arm, nuzzling into my dog and seeing that he was now wearing a red collar on his neck. I missed this kid, something about having a dog around made me feel normal as an American citizen in a foreign country. Who knew dogs had that kind of power, to make people feel joy in times of despair.

"You got him a collar?" I asked Luz in amazement.

"We found it in Foye, not attached to anything at all really. I figured you ended to get him one, and a leash too." He explained as I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Luz." I thanked him. He then gave me his sweet smirk that I missed, a hint of color was back on his cheeks once more.

"Don't let Joe know you kissed him or else he'll end up dead in his sleep." Lipton commented from his spot on the couch, having me roll my eyes at him as I then heard the others chuckle from his comment. Luz took Archer out of my arms again, placing him on the floor and Archer hopping off to something in the pack.

"Go play, let your mom greet some old friends." Luz said to him as I reached up to hug Webster. He had a simpler hug, though I could feel it in his touch that he missed me.

"I heard what happened to you, thank God you're okay." He said to me as I pulled away and shrugged me shoulders.

"It's no bullet to the foot, but I'm glad to see you're okay too." I replied to him, having me see then there was something that he was not telling me. Something was haunting him, that or eating away at him and it had me concerned. But I couldn't question him since I was now in the arms of Malarky. He chuckled into my hair, having me squeal as he lifted me from the ground.

"Sir, she's still healing so that could have her stitches come undone!" Doc said in concern from behind me, having me then feel Malarky lower me to the ground quickly and look at me up and down. He was still grinning from ear to ear, though his facial hair and worn colorless face made him look like he was in his veteran years now.

"Is there anything that won't kill you? I mean, you survived a grenade!" Malarky said to me in a grin, having me smile widely a him and shake my head.

"I'm not one to leave you boys in the dust so easily," I replied back to him, "I missed you guys too much." Malarky gave me one more hug, having me rest my head against his shoulder and breathe out a sigh of relief.

"We've missed you too, Red." He replied back to me, the both of us pulling away from one another and having this day feel a bit better. But something felt off in this situation, something didn't sit right as I looked from him over to Webster, who looked out of place here. Compared to the others, he looked rather clean and less in fear. I had to talk to him and make sure he was okay.

"Hey Web, you wanna go out for a bit and talk?" I asked him, seeing him snap out of his own thoughts and over to me, nodding his head.

"Sure, Red." He said back in his light tone, having me smile at him and then over at Lipton.

"And you, don't you dare move until I come back and get you some home remedied tea for your pneumonia," I ordered Lipton, having me see him smirk and nod his head. I then was walking with my cane over to Webster and tapping him once on the shoulder, "Come on Web."

* * *

><p>"They're not the same since I saw them last." Webster explained to me as we both were sitting in one of the windows on the side streets, away from being seen by anyone. It was nice to talk to him since he was kinder than the rest and not a rag tagged. But from what I was hearing, he was getting not a good amount of warmth as he came back from being both in the hospital and in rehab for his foot. Poor Webster, not getting a welcome back that was more deserving than it should be.<p>

"It's only because they were in Bastogne, which was hell for all of them really. We lost a good amount of men there: Muck and Jullian. And Toye and Guarnene went home with no legs." I explained to them as we both were holding out tins of coffee and just basking in the silence of the ruined city we were in.

"I get where they are coming from, Marley. But it still feels out of place for me. It's like they don't even want to look at me in the eye anymore, all because I wasn't there." Webster explained to me some more, having me hear the agitation in his voice as he talked about it with me, having me nod my head in agreement.

"Understandable. Just give them time to get over it, the stick up all their asses." I said back to him, seeing him chuckle from his spot next to me a she drank some more from his own tin can and scanning the area, "You had to heal, there's nothing wrong about that."

"Not according to you, since you completely survived a grenade. I think you're going to give the rest of Easy a run for their money when it comes to survival." Webster explained to me with his softer child-like grin. I shrugged my shoulders, taking another drink from my own coffee as I looked out in the distance around us.

"I don't have any other excuse to get out of the army now, do I?" I asked him with a small smirk, the both of us smiling from that remark. But it was then short-lived when an explosion went off, having the both of us shoot up from out spot in the window, me grunting in pain as I got up too quickly. Webster grabbed my arm, helping me out of the store and we both hurried over to see what happened. I knew that I had a job to be a medic, but right now I was on the sidelines with my own wound holding me back This time, I just had to be a spectator and not be a medic. Damnit.

We both joined the rest of the men, seeing a soldier already dead and covered in blood at the top of a ruined building that took the explosion. Just seeing that face made me come back to the reality that is this war. We were all used to this, no doubt in that, but I was gone for so long that I have forgotten what it felt like to look at a dead body, and know that there was nothing that I could of done. Doc was there, looking at the body with his helmet on and looking just as bad as the rest of us. We all were too far gone with our own demons to show remorse or pain for the fallen man. Some of the soldiers left without saying another word, and I felt a hand on my shoulder, having me look over and see that it was Malarky.

"Lipton wants to see you."

* * *

><p>"Here." I said to him, handing him the tea I made him as he was still on the couch, blanket still on him and he was still looking sore about being stuck in one place. I was in the same position that he was in when I was wounded, so I had a feel for him as he looked at my tea suspiciously.<p>

"What's in it?" He asked me as I stood back up straight and watched him with a grin, since he looked like a child that was about to swallow a tablespoon of cold syrup.

"Black pepper and some basil mixed in. It helps with your lungs and the bacteria that's there. Drink it every 6 hours and you'll be fine before you know it, sir." I explained to him, having me see him then look at the tea once more.

"Black pepper?" He asked me with an unconvinced tone on him. I shrugged my shoulders, my hand was still on my cane.

"Old Louisiana recipe. My great-grandfather was a traiteur who taught my grandmother and who in return taught my Uncle." I explained, having me see him look at me now totally confused.

"….it's a person who practices faith healing." I went on some more with some hesitance, "Anyways, one of the things taught was making home remedied teas with herbs and anything else we could whip together." Lipton nodded his head, having me watch as he took one long sip from the tin can. I watched as he grimaced a bit, then look back at me.

"And you're not….not a faith healer yourself?" He asked me in curiosity.

"No, sir. I never got the chance to learn it myself since I was too much into medical school." I replied, having me see him nod his head.

"Well, the real reason that I wanted to see you is to give you an assignment." He explained, having me wait in anticipation to see what they would need of me, "Since Winters want you to still get better from your injury, he wants to you help out with the local hospital here on our side of the river. You know the language, and both you and Doc need the medical supplies for anything else that we might need in the future. We have some other medics there to help you out since they also know a small amount of French. We need to get on their good side and have a firm relationship with the hospital. I have no idea when the next time will be when we are near a local hospital, so we need as much medication and supplies as we can carry in order to hold us over. You understand, La Noux?" I nodded my head to show that I understood. It was better than not doing a single thing and staying still in the moment of the war. They thought of this as a good thing for me, and maybe it was.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p>I walked out of the building, rubbing my ear under my helmet and I looked over at the several pieces of men that were talking together. I could see Webster with the new soldier that I was talking to Malarky, he too looked too clean cut for the men. I then saw Joe, having me see him wink at Webster who was walking to Martin and then having me see him walk away from the group over in my direction. I was glad to see Joe out here, since we were both back in our own elements and no longer in the hospital. Though the last time I saw him we both went from having a simple conversation into a make out session and then ended with our feelings being spilled to each other. Joe saw me, walking over with a big grin on his face as I smiled back.<p>

"Hey you." He said to me in a light tone, having me feel him take my hand in his and trying to hard no to kiss me in front of the men, but we both knew that they all knew about us.

"What's going on over there?" I asked him in curiosity, having me see him look as well with the sight of Martin talking to the other officers.

"They're planning a patrol tonight on the other side of the river, wanting to take 15 men with them to grab the rest of the German Prisoners." Joe explained to me, having me look over at him then pointing at him with my fingers touching his chest.

"Are you—" I started, but he shook his head.

"I was requested, but Webster's going in my place." Joe explained, having me sigh in relief. I was kind of glad that Joe wasn't going to go onto the patrol and getting himself in the line of fire, but then again Webster was going to be in his place and being in danger. He already felt like he was on eggshells with the men now, and this could be even worse.

"What did Lipton want with you anyways?" Joe asked me, interested in what happened with me and no longer with what was going on tonight.

"He wants me to go the local hospital with a couple of the other medics from other Companies so we can help out." I explained back to him, "And to mostly get more supplies that we might need since we don't know if we'll be near a hospital again."

"So he wants a supply run, then?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Mostly to help out the locals and get less wounded citizens out of the way in case things go South here." I answered him, which made more sense than I thought.

"Better for you stay away from the danger over there, eh?" He asked, rolling his shoulders to shrug off the cold as I rolled my eyes at him.

"Same with you, Joe. This is better than me sitting on my ass and doing nothing at all." I countered, hearing him chuckle at me rant with him.

"I'm staying within eyesight of the whole thing, just in case it does go South, they want me near a gun." Joe explained some more, "So don't even worry about me, okay?" I eyed him, seeing him watch me from his spot in front of me and I nodded my head to show that I was fine with it. I looked over my shoulder and I could see a jeep getting ready for me to head over to the hospital.

"You gotta go?" Joe asked me, seeing the jeep as well as I looked back to him, shoving my hands in my pockets to keep my hands warm.

"They need me today, but I should be back tonight for the patrol in in case something does happen here." I reminded him, having me see him look at me with a weary look. I smiled, reaching up carefully then to move some of his brown hair under his helmet. It was a small showing of my affection towards him, small enough for us not to be seen by the others, but big enough for the both of us.

"And Joe, be nice to Webster please. He's not feeling too great about you guys being sore at him." I asked him, seeing him look a bit sour about the fact I brought him up with our small moment. He did nothing, having me grab his sleeve to have him stare at me.

"Don't be a dick to him, okay?" I asked, pressing the subject more. It sucked that Webster was being crossed by the other soldiers because they were sore at him not being at Foye and Bastogne. It was dumb in my opinion, but they had their own opinions about it and I had no right to say anything about it. But I too was gone from those moments, so I felt for Webster for being out of the loop. Joe reluctantly nodded his head at me, having me grin at him.

"I'll see you tonight when I get back, it should be at around 1900. Maybe they have chocolate at the hospital and I can swipe it for the both of us?" I asked in a suggested tone, having me see a spark behind his eyes go off and a big cocky grin on his face. It made me blush, that he was smiling at me in this manner.

"Are you askin' me on a date, La Noux?" he asked me in a seductive kind of tone, having me chuckle.

"Maybe." I hinted at him, having me see him laugh a bit from his spot since I was the one being forward with him now. It felt nice, taking the step forward from being hesitant to being confident. The jeep honked behind me, having me smile at him once more before turning on my heel and about to walk over to the jeep. But before I could even get a foot away, Joe grabbed my hand gently in his and I looked over at him, seeing that his back was to the rest of the men when he was holding my hand. Within a moment, he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it. It was a quick kiss, but something about it made it thrilling for me since it was out in the open for all to see. It was also out own moment together, a great one.

He dropped my hand quickly before we could do anything else. I started walking backwards and I winked at him, doing another one of his own traits against him. Facing forward back to the jeep, I walked with a big grin on my own face. This was a new turning leaf for me when it came to being in Easy Company.

Time to be a medic again.

* * *

><p>"As you can see most of the wounded in here are locals and they need more help than we can give them." A French doctor explained to myself and the medics as we walked into one of the wings of the hospital that we were stationed at. He was the only one who could speak English, and one of the main doctors at the hospital, having me glad we had someone to help us out since we were the foreigners. It was me and two other Army medics, Private Jones and Private Massimo. The hospital itself was still intact, though it took some blows here and there and it looked like it needed an upkeep. A lot of the wounded in there were locals: farmers and shop owners that were caught in the aftermath of the war that we were in. I felt terrible, beyond terrible since I knew we were a part of them suffering.<p>

"How many are we looking at, sir?" Private Massimo asked behind me, having me stare at the French Doctor.

"There are at least 200 citizens here that are in need of immediate care, not to mention the children that are needed for evaluation for any infections." The Doctor replied to us, having me look over at me with a hint of concern.

"Children, sir?" I asked him.

"Yes, there is a huge amount of children from the smaller farming towns in the area that having me caught in the last attack and they are in need of inspections. I am in need of two of you to help me own nurses in looking at the children." He explained, having me feel as though I needed to do this task. I was used to tending to wounded soldiers, but children were another thing. It would be a change of pace and a new kind of medicine for me to work with. I had nothing else to loose in this town and city. So I took that step forward, letting myself be known.

"I can help with the children sir."


	22. Chapter 22

I pulled away from the current child that I was looking at, feeling his neck softly to find that it was swollen and hearing that he had some fluid in his lungs. He looked up at me with his big eyes, showing that he was scared that he was scared that he was here. His parents were behind him, mother with her hand on his shoulder and his father next to the mother. This was the tenth child that I looked at that day, going at fast pace when it came to walking from child to child, yet taking gentle care and time with the child that was in front of me. By this time it was around 1500 and I had about a couple of hours left before I was going to head back with the rest of Easy Company before they would head out on the patrol mission at 0100. This young boy that I was working on was 8 years old, and his name was Christian.

"_Nous allons lui trouver des médicaments pour la gorge et l' infection pulmonaire." _ I explained to the family as they were watching me. The parents nodded their heads, showing they understood as I looked back at the young boy in front of me, smiling at him with a big grin and seeing him give me a small smile.

"_Vous vous sentirez mieux bientôt , d'accord jeune homme?_" I asked him in a sweet tone, having me see him nod his head as I reached into my back pocket and gave him a small packet of chocolate that I snagged from the closet that was there, since I knew I was the medic that was on the children's wing and they needed it more than I did. The boy beamed, looking at the chocolate as if it was a piece of Heaven and then smiling at me.

"_Merci!_" He said in his childlike tone, having me giggle as the parents shook my hand.

"_Merci delà des mots, madame_." The father said to me in a chipper tone.

"_Bien sûr , pas de problème du tout." _I replied back, the small family then shuffling out of the way and I cracked my neck. It was getting a bit hungry since I haven't eaten since that morning when I was checking out of the hospital I was just in myself. Going over to my own Medic station, I grabbed my canteen and took a long drink of water. Working with children was its own breed of energy and patience, but most of these children were just happy that an American Medic was looking at them and was talking French to them. It must have been because I was a woman, compared to the other America Medics that were men and were just trying tog et through each patient quickly. Not me, I knew I had to take my time and make sure all the kids were taken care of. I loved kids to begin with; working with a handful of them back in Louisiana was a blessing for me. Some called me a natural with the kids, having me wonder if I would ever be a good mother. Did I even want to be a mother at all? Was I even going to live out of this war to be one? Oh, come on, get it together Marley. You would probably drop the kid the first moment you saw him in your arms. Oh great, him? Was I thinking that I was going to have a son? Good grief.

"Taking a breath?' I heard next to me, having me see an English speaking resident coming over. He looked like he was in his older twenties, maybe early thirties: still young to be around my age but with an aged presence around him. He was no doubt handsome, and he smile at me as he walked over with his own resident jacket.

"Just a bit." I replied back in a smile, trying to be nice to him.

"They love you, the children. Is it the American charm?" He asked me, his hands shoved in the pockets of his coat. I could tell he was trying something with me, but it was harmless none the less.

"More like an army charm to be honest. Thank you though." I replied to him, holding out my hand for him to shake, "Marly La Noux."

"I am Jonathan Fleu, 3rd-year resident here at this hospital." He explained, his accent was clear enough for me to hear him but it still give him that foreign aspect to my ears, "We are beyond glad that you and the other Americans are here to help."

"We are glad to be there to help out in any way we can." I replied in return to him. I looked past him to see Major Winters walking over to me, a determined look on his face. But I then saw Joe behind him, along with Martin as they were making their way through the children's area. I hopped away from the table I was leaning again, looking over at Jonathan again.

"Pardon me for a moment." I said to him, seeing him nod at me to show that he understood. He looked and saw the three Americans coming my way as I walked past him, over to Winters who was leaning the way. As soon as I was close enough to Winters, I gave him a salute.

"Sir." I said to him, quickly glancing over at Joe and Martin who both were behind him.

"Marley, we came over here to see how things were going." Winters said to me as I looked back at him from my spot in the middle of the main wise.

"Things are fine sir. I'm helping out with the children here since they are in need of the most help. There are more wounded here than on the main floor, and they need extra hands." I explained to him as he looked around at the area. Some of the doctors were already working on the children, and even some of the children looked horrid as they were covered in smoke and grime. They looked more like chimney sweeps than children, like ghosts and dead beings from horror stories.

"It looks like you're doing a fine job." Winters replied back as he looked back to me from the whole group of children that were in need, having me see the glint of pain and reality behind those eyes. With Martin, he was trying to keep his composure and not give a hint of feelings on his face. But I could see Joe looking around with his own eyes, seeing what I was seeing and somehow understanding from where he was. I could tell this was bothering him, in some sense.

"There's still more work to be done here sir, and I hope we can help out more in any way we can," I said some more.

"Perfect, since I also came here to see if you were ever able to get into contact with a doctor about receiving some supplies for us." Winters came back to the conversation that I knew was going to happen.

"The head of the hospital is the person to talk to: Doctor Tresé. He would know how much to give us." I replied back, pointing over his shoulder and the other two boys as they were waiting me as well. The had Doctor was talking to few of the patients there, he was in his mid fifties and had his own burdens showing on his face as he was trying as hard as he could to help the people there.

"Then I'll go have a chat with him then. Well done La Noux. Be sure to report back to base when you're done here, we might need both you and Doc in case something does go wrong with our patrol." Winters explained, having me nod my head in agreement. He then turned around and started walking to the Head Doctor, Martin following him without saying hello to me. It left me there with Joe, who walked over to me a bit more so we could be closer together in the midst of the hospital.

"You look like you have your hands full here." Joe said to me in a gruff, taking my hand in his and having me squeeze it tightly.

"It's not looking good for these people, Joe. I only thought it was a routine check up, but this….this is worse." I explained, looking around me at the children and families who were still waiting for someone to help them. It made me afraid, that I would no reach all of the people there in time if something were to happen to the building.

"At least they have the best Medic in Easy Company here to look at them." Joe said in a light tone.

"Oh please, then you mean Doc." I replied back in a counter remark, but I smiled from his attempt to make me feel better.

"Can you ever take a compliment?" Joe asked me with a raised eyebrow and a shrug of his shoulders, having me smile bigger at him since he was calling me out with this. I could tell where he was coming from, but he was still smiling at me.

"Not from you I can't." I replied back, seeing him shake his head with the grin on his face. But our meeting together was short-lived when I saw a French family come over into the room. They were a young couple, almost the same age as both Joe and myself, and they were holding a infant in their arms who was crying and the poor mother looked like she was in tears with blood on his face and covered in dirt and grime. The father was the same, the both of them looking like they survived as bombing that happened. My nursing side came in, having me then grab Joe's jacket quickly and kiss him on the lips. He kissed me back quickly, seeing that I had to go off and do my duties.

"I have to go." I said in a rush as I ran away from him over to the young couple. I stood in front of them, seeing them stare at me and looking as if they were lost in a fog.

"_Vous Arlight?_" I asked them, having me see the mother shake her head and she was on the verge of sobbing.

"_Notre fils, nous ne savons pas quell est le problème aver lui._" The mother replied, having me then gently take the child in my arms as a French Doctor was talking to them both in a hurried state to see what happened.

"_Nous étions sure le chemin de la ville quand nous avons été frappés."_ The father explained to the doctor in a rush as I was looking down at the child in my arms. He was so young, looking so scared he was still in the blanket. Immediately I started rocking him in my arms, hearing the piercing screams that he once had slowly die down, very slowly. For what I learned watching my mother when she was a nurse for new mothers or babies who were left for dead in the road, I tried to do the same with the young infant in my arms who was very slowly calming down. It made me smile, holding him there at the moment and having me see the parents watch me now. Somehow this moment made everything else about that day that was crappy more enjoyable, just seeing a baby being affected me.

"_Stupéfiant._" the mother said in a gasp as I looked up at the both of them, having me them motion with my head to their son.

"_Quel set son nom?_" I asked them both, having me see the father take the mother's hand gently as they watched me help their son. They were still in stunned silence with what they were seeing, and I was only helping them by holding the infant to give them free hands.

"Oliver." The father said, finally founding his voice as I looked back down at the boy. Oliver, it seemed to fit him as he was now watching me, still in tears and his cries were getting softer by the minute. Maybe it was the way that I was rocking him, back and forth with a hint of a dip. Or how I was holding him, keeping him close and not letting him show that I was afraid. But it felt like he was fine with me holding him close, and I could see the hint of blue in his eyes as he was watching me now carefully with observant eyes.

"_Je jeux le regarder pendant pue vows deux fêtes pris en charge._"I explained to the parents, having me see them look at me as if I was crazy. But I smiled at him, hearing the Doctor agree with them. The mother reluctantly nodded her head at me, the father as well as they thanked me over and over for what I was doing. When they were being ushered away to mend their own wounds, Oliver's cries were now so soft that they sounded more like bells than rage. I walked over with him to an empty chair that was alone against the wall, sitting down and reaching over with one hand to stroke his face. He was cold, beyond cold, but he then nuzzled against my finger and I grinned.

This was what it must feel like to be a mother, if I was ever going to be one. That was still undecided for me, since I still had to survive this whole damn war. But holding an infant in my arms made me feel more like a woman again, and it felt grew tot me. I tried to think of something to do to make him stop crying since it would take more than rocking him back and forth to clam him down. My grandmother, when I was still young enough to he held, would sing to me. My mother did as well when I was too scared of the dark and my thoughts would plague me. I remembered the song then, having me start to sing to him softly.

_Go to sleep little babe_

_Go to sleep little babe_

_Your momma's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay_

_Didn't leave nobody but the baby_

I could feel myself rocking back and forth on my heels to help with the song, in which Oliver was no longer crying but hiccupping in my arms and he was watching me with his intense blue eyes. This reminded me, again, of times when I was a child and I had simpler things to worry about. There was no war, no worry of if I was going to wake up in the morning with all my limbs and my whole mind. And no scared notion that I was going to loose another friend and comrade who would die in my arms. No, this reminded me of when my mother would hold me in my arms in the warm summer nights, her voice filling me with the sweet dreams of a bright future ahead of me.

_Go to sleep little babe_

_Go to sleep little babe_

_Everybody's gone in the cotton and the corn_

_Didn't leave nobody but the baby_

_You're a sweet little babe_

_You're a sweet little babe_

_Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop_

_Gonna bring a bottle to the baby_

As his eyes went to sleep, I had to remind myself that I was in this war for the long haul. Why would I think of my past so much when the future was right in front of me, ready for me take. So much of my fear for not being good enough for Easy came from the burdens of my past: not being able to let go of past mistakes and past failures. But the future was there, right in front of me and watching me to see if I would take it. Maybe it meant having a future with Joe. Was that even in the glimpse of the future? It seemed so clear with me: the two of us together and having our own lives as one. It seemed like a dream at first, when we first met. But the more I was with him, hearing his voice against my skin and seeing him smile at me, the more it was real. The more we spook of our secrets and the more we grew under each other's skin, I couldn't imagine a life without him in it

Oliver was fast asleep now, having me grin and just rock with him in my arms. I didn't want to move from my spot in the chair, though I moved my head up and I saw Winters and Martin back with Joe in the area, probably talking about the next move that was going to happen. I watched them, having me see that they had a plan and they walked out of the area. Joe was in the back, and I saw him look over at me with a small smile on his face. I smiled back, nodding my head once before he looked forward once more. But underneath Oliver, against his blanket, I was giving a sign that I felt as though I was going to reserve for someone that would eventually steal my heart. I was holding up my pinky and pointer finger, along with my thumb

I was signing to Joe Liebgott _I love you._

* * *

><p>Going onto the second floor of the building, I looked down the hall into the room where I knew he would be. Joe was there already, sitting at the window in his combat gear and an extra coat, though his helmet was off and he was right next to the machine gun, waiting for anything to happen. He was watching the river and the plot of land on the other side, having me hear nothing but silence in the area as I walked over to him slowly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He tensed up at first, but he kept his eyes on the area as he knew my touch by now. My own helmet was off, having me put my hair back in a messy french braid and it was flowing in the cold wind of the early morning.<p>

"Anything happening yet?" I asked him from my spot next to him, seeing him shake his head.

"It's quiet, as expected." I nodded my head from his reply, sitting down next to him and watching as well. It was real quiet, having me see no movements and make me think of how they were going to do this mission without being caught. It felt out of place, me not being there as extra hands. But then again I knew that they only needed 15 men and no more.

"How long do they think it'll be?" I asked him, looking over at him finally and see him shake his head.

"Who knows, but they want it quick enough for no mishaps or bumps in the plan." He explained.

"And you're fine with just sitting here by a machine gun?" I asked him.

"Better here than there, freezing my ass off." He replied in a short down.

"Though it would have been you if Webster didn't volunteer himself." I added, having me see him finally look over at me and see that I was dead serious about what I said. Webster was there, going over freezing waters and being the translator. It would have been Joe, which scared the shit out of me, but he was spared. However, I still cared for not only Webster but the others who were there.

"Don't tell me you have a heart for the guy." Joe said to me in a groan.

"I always like him, Joe. But you and the guys are giving him shit because he wasn't there at Bastogne or Foye." I explained in a short tone, having me see him shake his head and try so hard not to argue with me.

"He didn't go through what we went through ourselves. We went through hell, and he was in a bed nice and cozy—"

"Like how I was?" I asked him, seeing him stop his rant and stare at me as if I was on a landline and was how slapping him in the face. I was in a hospital bed too, missing Foye and what happened there. I wasn't there when Muck died, or when Buck almost had a nervous breakdown. But I wasn't getting the cold shoulder from the boys because of that.

"Oh, come on Marley…" Joe trailed off, but I shook my head.

"Don't start with the 'it's not the same' bullshit, Joseph Liebgott. It is the same in my opinion, and you boys aren't howling down my ass for not being there. So it's not fair for you to do the same to him. He was injured, like me, and he had to go heal, like me." I said to Joe, defending Webster and his right to be with his men in Easy again. Webster, to me, was too good to be put through a personal hell with the guys. Joe just sighed, letting the argument die and look ahead of us again, back at the plot of band behind the river. I looked as well, no longer wanted a Round 2 of our ranting that almost ended our relationship.

"You know, when you were holding a baby in the hospital earlier today, and singin' to him, "Joe started in a softer tone, after a minute of silence between us, "I like what I saw." I looked back at him, seeing him smile as he was still looking at pan in front of us. I smiled too, liking that we were back on a different subject that was not laced with bitterness.

"Did you?" I asked him in a surprised tone.

"Well yeah. Never took you as a mother-type of gal." He replied, having me scoff at him and shove him in the arm and receive a chuckle on his end.

"What? I mean I didn't think of you as a total hermit and all, but you….you looked good holding that kid." Joe said in a stammer, as if he was trying to say it right. I grinned from ear to ear as he said this, having me see him more of a softy than I gave him credit for.

"And you think I should keep that look in the future?" I asked him in a curious tone, as if I was hinting of wanting that future with him. He looked back at me again, as if he was just shocked to hear me say that to him in such a simple manner. But the smile never left his face, it was so soft and so true that it made me want to tell him then and there that I loved him. Suddenly, an explosion happened, and rapid gunfire. We both looked, having me realize that something went wrong, very wrong.

They were in trouble.

I shot up as Joe got to the machine gun, hands on it and ready for the signal to shoot. He needed to hear a whistle, but nothing yet. I couldn't wait there with him, not while I knew that they would need a medic sometime soon since this was getting scarier and scarier.

"I gotta get down here." I said to him as he was still waiting for the whistle to be blown. He nodded his head as I leaned down and gave him a kiss on the head, holding it there for a brief moment before I jogged out of the room. My rib was on fire because of the jog, but I had to ignore it since the moment the cry for a Medic was going to come soon.

"Jesus Christ, come on blow the goddamn whistle!" Joe practically shouted from his spot as I was jogging down the steps, grunting from the stitches in my skin threatening to burst and I would have serious trouble. But I jogged out of the building and over to where the other men were going to be stationed at, having me see the gunfire fly over my head in the morning darkness of the city. It was all coming back to me now: the haunting aspect of reality. The future had to be seen another day, right now I had to fight into the night for my men to stay alive.

Fight for my brothers.


	23. Chapter 23

This was bad, really bad since I was trying to get to the area in time as the machine gun Joe was at. The cold night was against my face as I tried to make my way to the base area that the men were going to be. Other soldiers were rushing around, having me follow them as I knew they were going to find the 15 that were coming back. Did something go terribly wrong? I knew that something did happen since gunfire was going off and the sounds of men being desperate for help were ringing in the air. I had to at least help in some way, shape or form. So I jogged, the rib injury was not feeling as though it was on fire now as I saw the men heading down into what looked like a basement.

I walked down the steps, hearing the bombs still going off outside and the building was shaking over as I saw a group of men huddled together, over a body that was in the ground and already past gone. They all so torn from my spot, covered in the dirt and sweat along with the cold that was still haunting their faces. Doc was over the body, having me look down to see who it was behind the mangled mess and the blood splattered. Oh good.

Jackson. It was Jackson that was dead.

He looked like a child in front of us, a mere child who was caught in the act of death. Everyone was quiet, and I looked at the others in the room. Babe was stunned, looking from his body to the others in the other half of the room. They were all stunned as well, having me feel so out of place with what was going on. The only noises that were heard were the shuffling of the feet of the men there with their boots touching the fallen bricks and wood panels, along with the overhead explosions and guns going off. I walked over to Doc, standing over him as he looked up at the rest of the men in both frustration and pain for not being able to save him. There was nothing we could do, not anymore. The patrol left one man dead and the rest shell shocked.

We had to move on, though it felt like we too were also dead with Jackson.

* * *

><p>I walked into the room with all the bunkbeds the next day, having me see Joe, Babe, Perctone, and Malarky. Joe was on a top bunk, Babe on the opposite side on the bottom bunk, Frank leaning against Babe's bunk and Malarky eye level with Joe as I walked into the room, not saying a word or two before they looked over at me. I knew they were waiting to hear what happened last night, since they knew I was there with Doc when Jackson was brought to him.<p>

"How's Doc?" Babe asked with a glint of hope in his tone though he was too still recovering from last night's chaos. I shook my head, running my fingers in my hair as it was in a low ponytail.

"Still torn up. I'm taking his place here and he's going to the hospital." I explained in a low tone, having me see Babe look over at me with hesitant eyes. He knew Doc too, since I saw the both of then talk every once in awhile in Bastogne. He took another drag from his cigarette.

"You okay?" Joe asked me, having me look back at him and see him on the top of the bunk, Malarky standing next to him. I could tell he was waiting to see if I too was worn out from what happened. He knew my stubbornness of not getting to a wounded soldier in time, and last night was a bit of a setback for me.

"I'll get by." I merely replied, having me see him watch me and know that I meant something else in my choice of words. But it was convincing with the others, Malarky looking over at me with worry in his ginger face.

"You don't have to push it you know, Red. You're still trying to recover yourself." He reassured me, but I shook my head as he was trying to have me be held back.

"I'm a Medic, Malarky. This is what I do: help you guys not die." I replied simply, having me see Frank watch me carefully now as Babe closed his eyes in his bunk. I smiled at Malarky, showing them that it was okay for me to be where I am. Malarky already had his own burdens to take on as a sergeant, and who was I to add more to the fire. I moved over to stand next to him, leaning back against the bunk and I could feel Joe leaning up on his bunk with his elbows underneath him. He grabbed some of my loose strands with one of his fingers, having me look forward once more with my own thoughts in my head.

"You want me to cut it for you?" he asked in a soft tone, having me turn my head slightly so I could see him out of the corner of my eye. He was watching me, the brown eyes and skinny faces were there right next to me, though he was still on his bunk that left some distance. His fingers were in my hair, having me nod my head once at him. I knew that he too wanted to talk about what was going on with me, so this was more than just a hair appointment between us. We heard footsteps coming over in our direction, having me see Webster and the new Lieutenant that was talking to Malarky earlier yesterday walk in, both looking rather grave. I watched Webster, seeing him stand over next to me against the edge of the bunk, one arm up on the bunk and his cool blue eyes contrasting against the darkness in the room.

"Jackon's dead." He said aloud, his cool tone was cutting through the sick atmosphere that was already there.

"Yeah, we heard." Joe replied back to him, no longer bitter but showing some kindness to him as he took a drag from his own cigarette. Frank took a long drink from his cup tin, looking rather quiet as he finally spoke up.

"They want another patrol tonight." Frank replied, aloud, having me close my eyes in both grief and frustration. But it was short lived as I saw the Lieutenant look over at me now, the fresh face amongst the veterans.

"Are you one of the Medics here?" He asked me, his voice was trying to sound kind but he was clearly confused. We all looked over at him, me as well, as he was waiting for some kind of answer. But I could tell, from the look on the other men's faces, he was not too liked around here. I was about to answer when Joe spoke up in my favor.

"Yeah, she is. One of our Combat Medics for our company, along with Doc." he replied in a cool tone, though I could tell it was on borderline annoyance. I wanted to reach up and take his hand in mine to calm him down, but I could't move from my spot.

"Oh, I didn't see you down there last night when we came back.." He trailed off, having me see the fuming anger that was threatening to slowly come over Malarky as he faced him off now, his position was making him the better man now.

"She was helping out at the hospital, Lt. Jones. There was nothing that could have been done for Jackson." Malarky replied back to him, his voice too was on the brink of anger as he was watching him. I felt out of place with the conversation that was happening, since I wanted to go back to the hospital or at least get out of the room. Anything to not be in this room now.

"I'm going for a walk," I said aloud, looking back at Joe from my spot against the bunk, "See you tonight for the haircut." He nodded his head, his eyes were still on Jones as I walked past them all and went into the hallway.

"I'll come with you." Webster called out after me, jogging up to catch up with me. I only looked at him, no need to have a smile on my face as we were going down the stairs together.

"Needin' some fresh air?" I asked him in a grin as I went down every step.

"That and I can't stand that guy." Webster replied, having me grin slightly from my spot. Finally, something we can agree on.

* * *

><p>We all sat together in the same area as the night before, the group of men was figuring out what to do next when night came over us. The mood was no longer light, nor did it have any kind of sense of hope. They were all working on their weapons and getting them ready as Martin looked on, his face looked like he would rather get punched in the gut than to go out again. Webster was next to him as I was on his other side near Lieutenant Jones, repacking my satchel to find something else to do with my hands as Archer was at my feet, gnawing at a old bone that I found for him from one of the kitchens at the hospital. It seemed so simple for us in that moment and in that room.<p>

"Whatcha lookin' at, Webster?" We heard the silence was grown from the bitter tone that came from Cobb, who was leaning against on of the brick walls and was staring at Webster with such hate and annoyance. He was holding a bottle in hand, clearly drunk as I looked over at Webster from my spot. He was staring back, a little shocked that he was called out, but then he looked down and I heard Cobb scoff.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, college boy." Cobb replied in a huff, looking as if he would rather be somewhere else than there. I stayed quiet, thinking this was not my battle. Jones looked over at him clearly not having him get away with it as I watched with my eyes, not moving for one second.

"Are you drunk, trooper?" He asked with his voice low and filled with authority.

"Leave me alone." Cobb replied, now sounding bitter and miserable.

"Answer the question."

"Yes sir I am drunk, sir," He replied in a huff, having me see his eyes were bloodshot and his body language looked sloppy, "Drunk, sick and tired of these fucking patrols, taking orders…"

"Hey, Cobb. Shut up. It's boring, okay?" Martin asked him, he too was trying to keep his composure. Even having an annoyed smirk on his face as he face him now instead of away from him. Cobb only smiled, looking off on his own as I carefully placed my satchel down on the table, folding my hands and waiting to see what he was going to do next.

"Takin' his side, Johnny?" He asked now, his voice was a bit higher. Martin looked back at us at the table, no longer at Cobb.

"Yeah, I am." He replied, nodding his head. Cobb took another swig from his bottle, then breathing out heavily as he looked back at Webster. I was quite proud of Webster staying calm throughout the whole awkward situation as he the now going to let him have it.

"I don't see why you need to be here, since you clearly weren't there back in the fucking cold weather and freezing your ass off with us. You were clearly so nice in your own bed, filled with food and not having to worry about being dead." He barked at him, still having me watch Webster next to me and slowly placing a hand on his arm to show him that I was next to him in case he needed someone.

"You know why I'm here, Cobb. So say it." Webster replied back to him, having me hear Cobb laugh a drunken laugh and my own anger with the kid was rising up through my skin.

"Oh, don't be a bitch about it." Cobb mumbled, which made me silent long enough. He had no right to talk to Webster, to lash out on him.

"Quit it Cobb, go cool off outside before you embarrass yourself even more," I warned him, having me see his eyes shift over to me and a sneer on his face then.

"This coming from the bitch who decided to run out like an idiot to grab a stupid bag. Suck that you didn't get hit, eh?" He said back in a challenging tone. Everything then moved real quick, making the mood more hostile than ever, Martin immediately whirled around within a second as I saw Webster about to sit up and yell at him. He was midway up from his chair when I stopped him, seeing nothing come out of his mouth. I grabbed Webster's jacket and kept him still, though he was still fuming through his calm eyes as Martin glared at Cobb.

"You shut your trap, Cobb. Leave La Noux out of whatever the Hell is crawling up your ass." Martin warned him, his voice was now at a good booming level as I could feel Webster shaking slightly from the anger that was seeping through him as I held his jacket. I tugged him down slowly, Cobb still watching me as I was still on his radar. Webster reluctantly sat back down, making fists on the table and trying so hard not to punch him.

"Don't think you can be safe with all these men around." He replied in a lower tone, having me watch Martin as he kept his mouth shut. I glared back at Cobb, since he had a lot of nerve to say something like that, sober or drunk. He didn't have to take out his aggression on me and that was night right in my book.

"I'd say the same for you. Who knows where I'll be when the next time you scream out for help." I said slowly, having me get up from my spot and grab my satchel, not wanting to be in this room anymore. Archer looked up at me as I moved away from the table.

"Come on boy." I urged him, Archer following me and we both left the room that was still quiet. I was never keen with Cobb to begin with since he was always so short with people and arrogant in his own way. But this was the stopping point since he said that to me and had no remorse on his face.

I needed air. I needed Joe.

* * *

><p>Walking out of the area and down the street, I pulled the jacket closer to my chest and I could hear Archer behind me, keeping up with his ever growing legs and his panting in the chill air. There was nothing else to be heard, having me see a faint light going on at the end of the street at what looked like was a little chapel. I walked over there since I had nothing else to do for the night and we weren't going to be doing anything anytime soon. The sky was getting darker and darker with the sun hiding behind the winter clouds, tinting the sky pink and light purple with the darker blue. I wondered who was at the chapel, and I just needed to go in and pray. I needed prayer for the fact that I wanted to punch Cobb right in the mouth for what he was doing to not only me but the rest of Easy.<p>

I approached the chapel, which looked like a hole in the wall kind of place and the tainted glow was inside behind the stained glass windows. Carefully I opened the door, hearing the door creak as I moved it to have me go inside. It was a bit warmer, but not too much as I saw what was inside, Archer poking his own head in as well. There were only a few pews there, the floor was dusty and had some mud tracks from people coming in. Candles were lit at the altar and there was a statue of the Virgin Mary right at the front near the kneeling section, having me walk in carefully and look to see who was in here. I saw that it was Doc, sitting in the third pew on the right side. But he wasn't alone, having me see that Malarky was there too, along with Luz and Frank. Lastly, was Joe, who was sitting against the pew on the end with his feet up and his head resting against the backrest and his eyes were closed. Doc was sitting straight up, facing the front and not moving as the others look more like they were lounging about. There was a local there, at the piano, not saying a word but playing the piano softly in the chapel and bringing the place a sense of peace from where I was.

Slowly I walked over, having my boots be the only thing behind heard, other than the clatter of Archer's collar against his fur. Luz looked up and over, having me see bags under his eyes and he looked so worn out. He smiled at me, having me smile back at I walked over to stand right behind Doc, resting my hands on his shoulders and seeing him jerk a bit from the new touch. The piano was still being played, still so soft and so soothing to my ears.

"You okay Doc?" I whispered though my voice rang in the small chapel.

"Yeah, thanks _Gingembre._" Doc replied with his voice was low and deep as usual. I squeezed his shoulders, feeling him roll them in reaction and I then moved away from him over to Joe. Joe opened his eyes and smiled at me as I was looking over him, seeing his face looking right up at me as he was leaning over the armrest, the brown hair he had was falling over his forehead.

"What are you boys doing in here?" I asked him aloud, seeing him shrug his shoulders. I fished out the chocolate that I had in my satchel as he started to speak.

"We were sick of the bickerin'. Doc suggested the chapel for some peace and quiet." He explained, having me walk around him and sit next to him on the pew. I nodded my head, "Plus the local in here was playin' and it sounded nice. Better than hearing all of the racket." I handed him a piece of chocolate from his spot and he started to eat it upside down, a big grin on his face now as I ate my own piece.

"No kidding. Everyone out there is at their wits end with each other and it's making me sick." I said in a groan, rubbing my eyes and having me hear a small chuckle from Luz on the other side of the chapel.

"I think we could all use a stiff drink." he commented aloud as the piano changed to a new tune, almost like a hymn.

"Even in the Lord's House?' Frank asked, a bit surprised from the mere thought. I looked over at Luz, giving Frank a serious look on his face to show that he was not, in fact, joking.

"Not even kidding over here Perconte." He replied, having me chuckle from my spot as Frank rolled his eyes.

"Way to keep it saint-like, Luz." Frank grumbled as we were content in our own spots again.

"All I know is when this whole war is over, I'm going to drink myself to sleep since I have missed having a beer or two. Heaven knows we deserve to have more drinks than we can muster." Luz said in an amusement manner, having me see Joe grin from his own spot. But then Joe moved, having me be taken by surprise as he moved his head to the opposite direction: my lap. He hung his legs over the armrest, having the legs dangle as his head was back on my lap and his handed folded on his chest. I was a bit taken back from this action, but then again I doubted anyone in the chapel would really be put off from this gesture. So, after a moment to being hesitant, I ran one of my hands against his hair, the fingers going through the locks and having me see a small smile on his face in return from the maneuver I was doing on his head. I handed him another piece of chocolate, having me grin at him as he was eating it and some of the crumbs falling on my lap.

"I miss having gumbo on Sunday Nights." I said aloud, without even thinking about it. I did though, since my mother's was the best that I have ever had.

"Gumbo? Really? Of all things to miss about home, you _had _to miss gumbo?" Luz asked me in amazement as I looked over at me with a big grin on my own face. Frank was giggling from his own seat, and Doc only smile widely for once since I came into the chapel.

"You don't understand, Luz. My mother made the best kind." I urged him, stilling running my fingers in Joe's hair as he hummed with his head still in my lap.

"Hey, don't push it on that subject there_. _ My mother makes a mean gumbo." Doc said in a playful tone, having me smirk at him as Luz eyed me.

"Never had the stuff, but is it good enough for me?" he asked, pointing to himself as he was seeing what gumbo was like.

"One of the best things ever on this planet is what it is," I explained to him some more, "Spicy and savoring with every bite of chicken and sausage in it." I closed my eyes for a brief moment before I looked over at Luz, who was watching me with his chin on the top of the pew.

"How about this, you should make us some after the war when we all come over to your place and party it up for you!" he said in a grin, having me laugh and nod my own head.

"It's a deal. Ya'll are more than welcome to come over to my part of the world and see what's it like. I think it's more up your alley anyways, Luz." I replied back, hearing him chuckle as we went back to silence one more, the group of us there in the church and having nothing else to say or to joke on. I could tell, come the way our bodies were molded against the pews and how our faces were projection what we were feeling in our hearts, that we were slowly suffering from the inside out.

"You wanna know why I like churches so much?" I asked aloud, not realizing that I did such a thing. No one spoke at first, having me go on with my own rant as I was now gazing the stain glass windows that were along the chapel and the small amount of light from the outside world creeping in, "It's not because of God and His presence here. I think of a place like this as…safe. Somewhere that you can't be touched by anything as vicious and cruel as war. There's nothing stained in a place like this, nothing that brings fear or pain to someone. This place….it makes me feel completely safe." It was true, all that I said. There was never one moment that I felt unsafe being inside a chapel or a sanctuary. There was always a sense of peace or safety that came over me as I then heard another new tune from the local, who was still too occupied with our conversation to look over his shoulder at us.

But I knew this tune, I knew it from a long time ago with my grandmother. She played it once or twice before when we were at parties or during the celebration of Christmas.

"I know this tune," Luz said aloud, having me look over at him as he stared at the local playing the piano, his voice was no longer filled with jokes or banter, but it was soft and peaceful. A small smile was on his face, as if he was reliving a memory, "I've heard it before."

"Ave Maria." I replied, having me see Joe look up at me from his position on my lap.

"You know that song?" he asked me, having me smile down at him before looking ahead again at the windows in front of me.

"My grandmother would play it ever once in awhile when we would visit her house." I explained to him, seeing him still watch me from my corner of my eye.

"I remember this song when I was a kid," Frank said suddenly, breaking his own silence, "My old man and mom wanted me to sing this song with my church one time for Christmas. Never really thought of the song before that, how much it meant to my family and the church." He looked dazed as we were listening to the song ourselves. I felt as though a wave of peace was coming over each of us then, just hearing how the music of the piano was flushing over our ears and our heads as I felt the need to start singing with the song.

_"Ave Maria Gratia plena_

_Maria, gratia plena _

_ Maria, gratia plena _

_Ave, ave dominus Dominus tecum _

_Benedicta tu in muli eribus _

_Et benedictus Et benedictus fructus _

_ventris Ventris tuae, Jesus Ave Maria"_

My voice rang in the chapel with the piano, and no one else said a word. There was no need for words, none at all. We were at peace again, the small group of us in the town that was ripping our souls apart.

* * *

><p>We all walked over to the vehicle that was going to take us out of the city, having me rearrange the satchel that I was wearing and move my hair out of my eyes. The morning was fresh and new for us as we were about to move out and away from the heated hate that was being felt throughout this city and within its walls. I felt the need of wanting to have some kind of fresh air around us as I approached the vehicle that I saw Joe was in. He smiled at me, sitting on the every edge of the vehicle as I stood in front of him on the ground floor.<p>

"I got a spot for you, up here." He said to me pulling me up with his hand into the car. I scooted over to sit next to him, having me see him smirk at me as we were sitting so close together. Some of the days that were close like this was hard for me since I wanted to kiss him. But we both knew by now that our love for each other would have to be under wraps until we can at least walk away from the war in peace.

Joe looked over to his other side, I looked over him and I saw Webster approaching with a fresh face. I smiled at him, glad to see that he was okay even after the altercation with Cobb the day before. He approached the vehicle, having me then wait and see what Joe was going to do next with him. But Joe, being the man of surprise that he was, reached down with his hand in the same manner that I did and he helped him up, just in time for the vehicle to start rolling down the path.

It was good to see this change in him, and I was glad for it too, just in time for a change for Easy.


	24. Chapter 24

The sun was beating down on us as we were gathering in the square of Struzelberg, ready to hear the current events that were happening back in America by Nixon. Since leaving the French town that took Jackson's life and raised our own anxieties, we were glad to be had in the warmth of the sun and feel a sense of ease on our shoulders and uniforms. My rib was fully healed at this point, Winters finally giving me permission to go back out as a combat nurse fully once again. I was beyond glad since I missed the thrill of running from place to place without being slow or held back. Even archer seemed a bit chipper since we left the cold behind; he was already bigger and was getting rather smart with what I was teaching him.

I grabbed a seat next to Joe as Doc was on the other side of me, the both of us taking a break to hear the news before we would head back over to the medical jeep and grab our rations. Archer was laying down at my feet, rolling on the pebbled stones with his back. I leaned back in my chair, having my hair up in a ponytail and my helmet resting on the knee as Nixon starting reading off the news in front of us, clearly no interested in what he was reading at the very moment.

"Here." Doc said to he, tossing me an apple and having me grab it in midair. I took a big bite from it, feeling the juices go down my neck a bit and I smiled. I watched as Doc then leaned with a small piece of an apple for Archer, whom wagged his tail and starting eating it.

"_Merci_." I replied back to him with a smile on my face, having me see him grin too, "Oh wait, is that a smile on Eugene Roe's face! Praise the Lord it is!"

"Pipe down, Marley." He replied in a short tone, but he was still grinning as I shoved him playfully. It was good to see a grin back on his face once more, since most days he wanted to be alone and isolated from the rest of the group.

"The Cooperative for America Remittance to Europe food care had begun assembling food packs to assist those European families in dire need. Presumably all of them. So notes to all your family reminding them to donate what ever they can be much appreciated." Nixon read off his notes from his clipboard, making him sound more like a teacher reading a lecture to a classroom of students that were clearly not interested. But he went on with another lighter subject as his voice went up with optimism.

"I'm sure you'll all be happy to know Oklahoma is still playing on Broadway." Nixon explained aloud, having me hear some of the men agree with him and Luz even laughed, having me watch him sit up and hold the cigarette in his hand as he started to sing.

"Oooooooklahoma where the winds come sweeping down the plain!" He started as the rest of the men joining in with his singing. I sang along as well, having me feel the hint of joy coming from the men.

"And the wavin' wheat, can sure smell sweet, when the wind comes—" Luz motioned with his hand for us to stop as the newest recruit for out Company, O'Keef, sang on.

"—right behind the rain!" He voice was a bit higher than usual, having the rest of us laugh with and at him as he looked rather embarrassed about it.

"O'Keef, are you sitting on your bayonet? Why don't you leave the singing to Luz?" Chistenson suggested in his wicked grin, the others laughing with him.

"Yeah, unless you you wanna do like 'Surrey With the Fringe on Top', O'Keefe." Luz commented in as well. I shook my head with a big grin on my face, looking over at Doc who too looked a bit amused.

"_Pauvre petit agneau._" I said to him, hearing him chuckle from his spot on my right as I took another bite from my apple.

"Awww, Rita Hayworth's getting married." Nixon explained, having me then hear the collective groans from the men about the news of her.

"Oh, Rita, say it ain't so!" Luz said in a mocking moan. I just rolled my eyes, looking over at Joe who too groaned from the news.

"Since when did you like Hayworth?" I asked him with a coy tone, seeing him laugh in his spot and shrug his shoulders.

"I'm a guy, Marley. Every guy in America loves Rita Hayworth, even in the world. Am I right, Doc?" He asked Doc, looking past me at Doc who just nodded his head once, still staring straight ahead with his intense eyes.

"Yep." he replied with his Cajun accent, having me glare at him for not helping me with the subject as I put my focus back on Joe.

"So you're mad she's married?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, having me see him now eye me and see where I was going with this playful conversation. He then chuckled, squeezing my hand quickly in his without the rest of the men looking.

"Sure I'm mad, but I have someone else who's better in my mind, right here with me." Joe replied in a softer tone, looking at me up and down and giving me the look that he would give before he would want to kiss me. God, I both hated and loved that look.

"You need to contain yourself with the flrtin', or you'll get yourself hurt." I said in a low tone to him, smiling at him once more before we released our hands and looking ahead at Nixon. One of these days we were going to get into a big load of trouble from these flirtations out in the open with the men around us, and I feared that day would come.

"Wartime News: Resistance in Ruhr's crumbling. It looks like it might be a breakout in Remagen. Apparently the Krauts forgot how to blow up one of their bridges when they headed back over to the Rhine. I guess the boys in the 17th Airborne did okay, after all." Nixon explained to us as we all listened in on the recent events. From what I was hearing, since we came into Germany, things were looking up in our favor and we were slowly having a brighter future in this battle.

"Ah, forget it. We'd be in Berlin by now sir if it was us instead of them, huh?" Luz asked aloud, the rest of us cheering with him with the thought of being dropped in Berlin where the heart of the war was. This was better than what we were going through the past few months, the months of depression and pain as we were merely trying to survive. I didn't know if it was the sunshine that was over our skin and giving us a healthier view on life, or that we were no longer in real constant fear of being hunted down and killed and blaming each other for the agitation, but we were all in a better mood. As Nixon wrapped up the meeting, we all got up and moved out to our respect areas, Doc and I going to the medical jeep to find more supplies. We meet up with Spina there, having me see him already going to get his satchel open. Archer followed behind obediently, trying to untie my shoe laces with his teeth and nipping at me playfully.

"Doc, Red, good to see my Crazy Cajuns." Spina said to the both of us, having me smirk at him.

"Oh, don't tell me you're gonna call us that for now on." I said in a groan to him, having me see him laugh as he grabbed from plasma bottles. I dug into one crate of bandages, grabbing a handful and folding them in the manner that I liked.

"What? It has a ring to it, don't you think?" He asked me, having me pause and look at Doc with an amused face, Doc pausing his own packing and looking at the both of us.

"Why am I being brought into this again?" He asked, clearly annoyed. I chuckled, pointing to Doc as I looked at Spina.

"See? He has spoken." I said back to Spina with a big grin on my face, Spina smiling widely as we were packing some more.

"I'm glad to see that the both of you are doing better since we left that French town." Spina commented as I grabbed some morphine and moved over to the extra towels that were used for wiping off blood.

"Well, we need to get away from the cold I reckoned." I replied to him, seeing him eye me.

"You're not a cold kind of gal I take it?" he asked me in curiosity.

"God no. Spina, I'm from Louisiana. Our definition of cold is a rain storm with a slight breeze." I explained to him.

"She's right." Doc agreed from behind me, having me see Spina look over at Doc and then at me.

"Let's just hope them that we don't have to deal with anything else like that. I can't wait to go home, you know? Back where I'm no longer needin' to play doctor all the time." Spina explained in a huff as he closed up his own satchel.

"And what will you do with your spare time?" I asked him in wonder, having me see him think to himself before answering with a funny tone on his voice.

"Maybe I can take up painting." He said in such an authoritative tone, having me smile at him as he walked off. HIs future was looking bright, and I couldn't help but picture him being a painter beyond the war.

Let him be a painter.

* * *

><p>"You ready to head out?" Doc asked me as we both got up on our own jeep, ready to move out into the nest area. We were going to ride together as the rest of the men were going to ride in the bigger vehicles in the back of the group of men. I hopped up with him, moving my hair from my eyes as I saw Nixon and Winters talking together in hushed tones and it looked rather heated. Archer was now sitting next to me on the jeep, too big for my backpack and was looking around at the other soldiers who passed us by. Easy Company knew of Archer by now since he was always next to me, rubbing his ears and playing with him when they had down time. As men walked by out jeep, they rubbed Archer's ears with their fingers, having me hear him bark at them all<p>

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked him, seeing him shrug his shoulders.

"Beats me: another German town I'm guessin'. You'd think after this whole time they would tell us Medics anything." Doc commented to me, having me laugh with him as I then overhead Spiers talking to Perconte after Perconte handed him a lighter for him to use on his cigarette.

"We're going to the Alps."

"The Alps?"

"Yeah."

"That near Berlin, sir?" Perconte asked, still trying to understand that situation at hand.

"No."

"That's in Bavaria. Birthplace of National Socialism." Webster commented to them both as he was walking by, looking just as interested in the conversation as Perconte was with Spiers, though Spiers looked unamused and un-phased.

"No drop in Berlin. Hitler sent to the Waffen SS into the mountains to repel all the invaders. He wants to start a guerrilla war." Spiers explained as he lit the cigarette. Bull was walking by as well, having both Doc and I listen from our spots on the top of the jeep and we listened in as well. It made me think of how we were going to be thrown against the Germans now, going into the Alps and finding them there and no longer steering towards Berlin. What were we going to do in the Alps there? How was this going to plan out? I had more worried and fears in my head as Bull made his comment.

"Invaders. Damn, I like the sound of that."

* * *

><p>"Glory, glory what a hell of a way to die. Glory, glory what a hell of a way to die. Glory, glory, what a hell of a way to die, he ain't gonna jump no more!" We were all singing together as we were rolling along the countryside, having all of our spirits up high as we sang it for a couple of more lines. I looked at the green around us, having me see the huge contrast of what I was I used to: winter and darkness. This was opposite, warmth and happiness in our veins as we were on our way to the Alps.<p>

After we all sang together, Doc and I settled in our seats and were watching the scenery pass us by. I could hear the soldiers talking to each other about what they did outside the army before and what they were going to do after the war. Archer was on Doc's lap, looking around at the scenery as Doc has one hand on his back to make sure he didn't hop off. Archer was getting close to Doc as well as me, though he was constantly staying close to my heel. Doc was liking him too, though he was more reserved.

"So what about you, _Gingembre_?" He asked me, having me look over at Doc as I kicked my heels up against the jeep when we were strolling along the countryside, 'What are you thinkin' of doing after we get back to Louisiana?"

"I don't know really," I answered him, thinking about ti myself some more and finding it harder than I thought, "I have only down medicine since I left high school. Maybe I can go travel around America, you know? Like a road trip kind of a thing. I've never seen New York or even Texas for that matter." I would like to see all that America had to offer since all I knew was Louisiana. Just being here in Europe and traveling around was enough for me to want to travel around more. but on America soil more than anything.

"How about you, Doc?" I asked him not wanting to think about my own future at the moment and look over at him see him think to himself before he lit his own cigarette between his teeth.

"I worked with oilers before I was in the war, maybe I'd go back to do that." he said with a shrug of his soldiers, having me raise my eyebrow at him.

"I can't picture that for you, Doc." I replied back to him, seeing him watch me as the smoke he inhaled escaped through his thin lips.

"Why you say that?" He asked me in wonder.

"I don't know, you're more a Doc now than ever before. Maybe you can work in a hospital or something." I suggested to him, seeing him shake his head.

"Well, I'm not like you Marley. I don't live and breathe medicine all the time from my lungs. I'll figure somethin' out when I get there." He explained.

"But you better not forget that we're gonna hang out together after this war, you know? Havin' me show you around New Orleans, and maybe help you meet a nice Cajun girl?" I commented to him with a chuckle, having me see him shake his head and roll his eyes.

"Oh, come on Doc. You're cute enough, and girls would fall for you since you're an army kind of guy, not to mention great with your hands." I teased him, raising my own hands and wiggling my fingers at him in glee.

"Good grief, Marley. You're the sister I wish I never had." He commented to me, having me glare at him playfully.

"You don't mean that at all." I commented back to him, seeing him look back at me with a hint of playfulness in his own eyes.

"Fine, I don't mean it. But I would hope to think that my sister wouldn't be as big of a pain as you."

* * *

><p>Doc and I stood outside the building as we saw Germans being filled out from their homes. We were sent to go into the small town and get the citizens out of there. However, that was left to the rest of Easy company as they were going through the apartment complex, yelling at the men to get out and to leave to another building. I still had no real idea why we were needing to have this one apartment building and a couple of others, since I was getting death glares from the citizens as they were being thrown out of their own homes. At this point, my own heart was hurting from what I was seeing: citizens were looking scared out of their minds as they were trying to understand why they had to leave in such a rapid pace.<p>

"This doesn't feel right." I said to Doc under my breath as a group of families were watching us with eyes of death, going out into the streets and being out on their own. Doc shoved his own hands in his pockets as we were then joined by Luz with his radio on his back, rifle at the ready.

"I don't think it's supposed to." Doc commented back to me, having me keep my eyes on the citizens that were still being spilled out onto the streets. Some of them had children, all who were looking to us to see what was going on. I felt even worse since there were kids there, with their parents that seemed to have no answer for their question as to why they were leaving their home.

"How many buildings do they want for us?" I asked Luz, since I figured he would know more than Doc and myself.

"Who knows, I'm just at the radioman these days." He commented back to me in a huff as I saw both Bull and Joe walk out of the building to join us at the front door, having more citizens that were men. The five of those men looked over in my direction, having me hear them say something under their breath for me to hear, but it was only in German so I had no idea what they were saying. But Joe knew, since he immediately looked over at the both of them and had the look of pure anger on his face, as if they insulted his family or his name.

"_Halten Sie den Mund , bevor ich dich erschießen zu Boden, Krauts_!" Joe barked at them with venom in his voice, having me see the men shuffle off without another comment out of their mouths. Bull eyes him now next to me, having me no wonder what was that all about.

"What did they say, Liebgott?" He asked aloud in wonder. Joe shook his head, still looking a bit bitter from whatever they said.

"They called Marley a _amerikanische Hure_." he replied in a gruff, having me look a bit taken back from what they did say.

"Am I to realize that the word _Hure _means Whore?" Luz asked aloud, as if it was the casual question. I shook my head, having me not want to lash out at them but to have a snide comment in return. I was not going to stoop to that level of showing my hate to them since they were merely citizens and they should that odd kind of judgement on me.

"Classy." I said in amusement and in a low toned manner, Bull shaking his head and Luz shrugging as we were then waiting to hear what was next for us to do. Joe was still fuming though, having me walk over to him as the others were talking together about the rest of the night. I gently grabbed his arm, having me see him finally look back at me, the hate was still there.

"Breathe, Joe. I'm not phased by it, just breathe okay?" I asked him in a careful tone, wanting him to calm down from being too hotheaded too soon. He lowered his rifle then, having me grab his hand and hide it from the rest of the boys as we were looking at each other with a glimmer of hope. Joe took out a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to calm down as I squeezed his hand gently, having me see him put the strap of his rifle on his shoulder to have his other hand be free.

"There you go, love." I urged him, seeing him finally look over at me with a small smile on his face, a small smile that showed a small discovery.

"What did you call me?" He asked me, a soft tone rang compared to the brash voice he had a moment before when he spoke German. I just smiled at him, my thumb rubbing against the top of his hand. Who was I to try to hide it anymore from him, since we were close to being done with this war and it was no point of wanting to shield it down.

"You heard me." I replied, having me hear him chuckle.

"You have an odd way with me, Marley." He confessed, reaching out to push some of my red hair from my own eyes. Feeling his skinny fingers against my pale skin gave me shiver in the cool night.

"I can say the same with you, Joe. Come on, let' see what Winters wants to do now." I urged him, having me see the other pile into the building behind each other and Joe and I followed. For a second, I could feel Joe's hand on my lower back as if he was helping me through the door. I did nothing about it, but my heart was telling me to tell him sometime soon.

Tell him that I loved him.

* * *

><p>I walked with some of the men on patrol that morning through the woods, having me look up and around in wonder at the tall trees that seemed bare. The sun streamed through the now blooming pine trees as I felt the ground underneath my boots. Archer was back at base with Doc, and I was on a patrol walk since I missed going out and about with the men. It was Luz, Bull, Frank, Christenson and a couple of others, including the new O' Keefe. The silence filled the air, though a bird would chirp here and there.<p>

"O'Keefe?" Bull asked the soldier, who looked a bit off from where I was next to Bull.

"Sarge?!" he said aloud, Bull smirking.

"Why the hell are you so jumpy, boy?" He asked.

"I'm not jumpy, I'm fine."

"Shit, I can hear your heart pounding in Arkansas, boy."

"Jesus Christ, give the kid a break, Bull." Christenson added in.

"Hey George." Perconte said to Luz as I was looking around at the area around me. Something felt off to me, very off. I breathe in deeply, getting a scent of pine trees and nature. But I got another scent from it, something that didn't fit in the setting: Smoke. Why was I smelling smoke, this far away from the base? I made me worry, looking around for any kind of smoke either in the forest or in the air.

"Yeah?" Luz answered.

"Kinda reminds you of Bastogne?" He asked aloud in a wondrous tone as I could breathe in the smoke more as if we were getting closer to the source. Now I was petrified, where was it coming from and why was the scent here.

"Yeah, not that you mention it. Except of course, there's no snow, we got warm grub in our bellies and the trees aren't fuckin' exploding from Kraut artillery. But yeah, Frank, other than that it's a lot like Bastogne." Lux explained, clearly annoyed as Frank had no clue as his sarcasm.

"Right." He said aloud. Luz sighed.

"Bull, smack him for me, please?" Luz asked, having me hear Bull hit Frank on the helmet and Frank grunting.

"Thank you." he thanked, but I had another scent coming through my nostrils. It didn't seem normal, far worse than the smoke. I stopped in my walking, looking high above me past the trees and having me see some small amount of that smoke over the top of the pine trees. The scent was strong now, too strong, and I suddenly realized what it was.

"Stop." I said aloud, having the others stop and look over at me as I felt my heart was about to drop. I knew this smell, I knew it from countless times on victims who were…oh God no. This smell would haunt me every once in awhile when I was younger in medical school, and it was a smell that brought out the worst in people when it came to healing.

"You smell that?" I asked them all, having me see them sniff the air to see what it was. They could tell something was off, having them finally look back at me.

"It's probably a fire, Red." Frank suggested, but I shook my head and walked towards the scent some more. The scent was coming on the right side, bombing over in our direction as I breathed it in again, having me almost go sick.

"Something's not right. That's not a good smell." I explained to him, seeing that he was not following. I hated the smell, it hated it so much because I knew that it meant real trouble. I was used to it by now in my life, but I would never think I would have relive it again in this war.

"What are you talking about, Red?" Luz asked as I looked over to the right again, wondering what was over there to give this scent a huge push. I wished it wasn't what I thought: someone being burned alive.

"That smell only comes from burning flesh. That's a burn smell." I explained slowly, having the rest of the men look at me now with big eyes as I got another whiff from a slight breeze. It was strong on the right side in that direction, having me bolt into a run towards the scent. Someone was in trouble, big trouble from what I was breathing in. The boys followed me, though they were still confused as to what was going on.

"Hang on, Red! Wait for us!" Bull yelled at me as I was bolting faster and faster. They could still be alive, needing someone to help them. But it was all far gone from my mind as I skidded to a haul and looked at what was out in front of us. I was frozen in horror, since what was in front of me was not enough to put into words. The others, finally, caught up with me with rifles at the ready. They too saw what I did, having the group of us look in horror at this scene in front of us. How was this possible, who in their mind did this….but what _was_ it?

"Dear God." I gasped out.


	25. Chapter 25

Run. Run. Run.

That's that I was thinking in my head as both Frank and I were running back to base. We were both the fastest in the group, and what we saw was beyond words. I was floored with my own eyes on the scene in front of me, my heart stopped beating and my own blood went cold. As we ran through the forest clearing and back on the dirt road that we started from. We had to find Winters, or someone that would be able to explain and see what was going on. No one knew what it was that we saw, nor did we know what to do. But when I saw the high wooden beams with the wired fences around the small compounded area and the stench of human flesh being burned, it was no good, not in my mind. It felt more like a nightmare as Frank and I were running, side-by-side.

"What in the hell was that?" Frank asked as we ran, helmets off and trying to breathe in and out before we could get back to camp. My mind was still on overdrive with what I saw and what I was breathing in. Was this something even human? My lungs were still hurting from the toxic fumes that were entering my nostrils and going through my body.

"I don't know but it's not good!" I replied in a huff as we saw the base right ahead of us. I then went into a sprint, running in front from Frank and we were so close to getting back to base and trying to find someone. I was already trying to find a Captain or even Winters before we even touched the grass and swallowed up by the trees and buildings around us. Jeeps were rushing by us as we then stopped in the middle of the square, soldiers are looking at us petrified as we were frantically trying to find someone, anyone, to tell and see what they are going to do.

"Have you seen Foley? Hey, guys! Anyone seen any officers?" Frank asked as I looked around to find someone with a rank. But I didn't find anyone, having me feel panic coming over my throat and tears coming down my face from the sheer image that was still implanted in my head. This was bad, real bad, and I had to make sure it was about to be fixed.

"Popeye, you seen any officers? Seen Foley?" Frank asked Popeye as I turned the corner and saw Joe talking to Webster and Lipton. They saw me there, Joe smiling at me as soon as he saw me. But within a second, he saw something was wrong, as well as Webster and Lipton. They looked at me in horror, since I looked like I was having a panic attack in the middle of a crowded street of soldiers who were not looking at me.

"Marley." Joe called out, jogging over to me with the other two behind me. As soon as they reached me, Joe looked at me up and down, maybe thinking that I was in pain or I got hurt from something on patrol. My eyes were on the brink of tears, my breathing was shallow and my hands were shaking.

"What happened? You okay?" he asked me, though I was trying to take a deep breath before he I could answer him. Joe looked over at Lipton now, worry on his face, "Get Doc."

"No!" I screamed finally, the three of them looking back at me and waiting for me as I looked at Joe now.

"I need to find Winters or an officer." I explained to him, my voice sounded so broken and out of place.

"What happened, Red?" Lipton asked me as Joe placed his hands on my arm to calm me down.

"We saw something on patrol….I don't know how to explain it, but I need to find Winters." I said out loud in huffs. I looked behind me, seeing Frank finally talk to Winters. Thank God, since Frank too looked out of place as he was trying to tell Winters why was going on. Winters was floored, but what was he being told. Looking back at the three men in front of us, I saw all of their eyes going big and filled with worry. Webster finally looked over at me, though I could feel Joe's hands on my arms tighten with confusion as to what was going on.

"What did you see, Marley?" Webster asked me, his voice was now laced with concern. I said nothing, since there were no words as to tell them what was going on. How was this going to happen? What were we going to do.

How was this going to happen? What were we going to do?

* * *

><p>As we approached the compound, I could see all of the color on the Company faces go away within seconds as we saw it in front of us. It was a fenced off camp of some kind, with dark buildings and huts all inside. It was so bare, no life inside of it at all when it came to grass and trees. But it wasn't the buildings that were making me so lifeless, it was the people. There were people inside, wearing gray clothes and looking like death. But there was one bright piece of fabric on their shirts: a yellow Star of David. It shined in the contrasted jacket and faces of these poor souls. We were all frozen in the vehicles as they stopped in front of the main gates that were made of barbed wire and wood. These men looked like they were on the brink of death, no color on their skin and their bones showing clearly.<p>

My God, I could think of so many medical diagnosis that were flooding my mind as I was sitting next to Doc. Doc was clutching my hand in a death grip, and Joe on my other side was looking just as dazed as everyone else. I didn't tell them exactly what I saw, but it was all because there were no words to use that would describe it perfectly.

We piled out of the vehicle as some of the soldiers with Winters were coming over to the front.

"Open it up." Winters gave the order as Doc and I waited, along with Spina, with the other men. The gates were being opened slowly, having us see the prisoners flooding the front to see the gate being opened. They were watching us with such confusion and admiration on their weak and gray faces, having me have a heartache for them as Christenson asked them to move back. They didn't know any English, which meant that they needed a translator.

"Any of your men speak German?" Winters asked Chistenson as we made out way into the camp, having me see the ill-fitted surroundings around us as the prisoners were going up to each other men in fear and amazement.

"No sir." He replied.

"I need Liebgott. Liebgott! Lipton, go get Liebgott for me." Winters said to Lipton as Doc and I walked through with the other Medics. These men, they were all coming towards us, staggering and limping. I felt as though we were walking into a graveyard and seeing all that was left behind. Our soldiers were being kissed and hugged from these men, others were witnessing the prisoned men mourn and cry in front of them, clutching their knees as they wept into the army jackets. This was all too real for me as I was then approached by a man myself.

He looked as if he was in his seventies though I could tell from his face and how his teeth looked, he was only in his twenties. Whatever happened in here, it aged them quickly. I could see bones on his body threatening to poke out from under the thin looking skin as he looked at me, eyes big and filled with pain as he then fell to his knees in front of me, clutching my own knees in his skeleton hand and weeping into my tummy. I was so frozen, not knowing what to do as I looked over at Doc. He was approached by another man himself, the man trying to talk to him as I hugged the man gently with my own arm, though I could feel the bones under his skin against my jacket.

Slowly I lowered myself down to his level, seeing him look at me with fear as I untangled myself from him, stripping off my jacket and holding it out for him. At first he was confused, not knowing what to do, but then I watched as he carefully took my jacket from me. I nodded my head at him, giving him a small smile. Carefully I helped him get it on since he was so skinny my own jacket was big on him and made him look like he was wearing a raincoat. He started to cry as I watched him, both of us were on our knees as I saw him weep in front of me. I only had my now shirt on with the pants and boots along with my satchel, the cool breeze coming through and giving me chills. But my now mind was on the man in front of me, which his knees looking like bulges. Oh god, he wasn't going to be able to get up now on his own.

"Babe!" I called out, still having my eyes on the man in front of me as Babe jogged over.

"Help me get him up, I don't think he can do it on his own." I said to him gently. Babe grabbed one arm, I got the other, and we slowly got him back up on his feet. He walked away, hugging himself with my jacket as if his life depended on it. I watched, dumbfounded on what just happened as well as Babe.

"What is this place." Babe asked me, having me look around me in horror. Everything that I knew was good and peaceful was gone now, having me feel as though I was stuck in a nightmare. But these men were stuck here for who knows how long.

"I don't know." I said back to him in a miserable tone. I walked on from him as he went over to Malarky. The huts were so small and look so unsteady, having me breathe in the stench some more. There was smoke rising from the back of the gated area, so I walked over and I could breathe in more of the skin burning smell. It was so strong back here, having me grab my bandana from my back pocket and wrap it over my mouth as I was looking right and left.

"He said the guards left this morning." I looked behind me, having me see Winters and Joe were talking to a prisoner, though Joe was translating for him as they were trying to figure out what was going on. I looked away, still hearing the conversation as another prisoner, who looked like he just turned 17 years old really, walked over to me and fell to his knees within a moment. I rushed over to him, getting to my knees and see him look at me with scared eyes.

"Can you believe this Web?" Malarky asked Webster as they walked by me, Webster saying nothing at all as he too was examining the place. But my focus was back at the man in front of me.

"Hey hey, it's okay," I said to him though I knew he wouldn't understand since I didn't speak German. I then pointed to the Satchel I was wearing, showing the Red cross on the front and smiling at him, "Let me look at you okay?" He nodded his head, seeing that I was good for him. I started examining him from my spot, looking at his eyes and feeling his pulse, Joe was still talking behind me.

"Some of the prisoners tried to stop them. Some of them were killed." He explained as the prisoner kept talking in a fast pace, "They didn't have enough ammo for all the prisoners. They killed as many as they could. Before they left the camp." I could feel the pulse under the man's throat being very low, he needed water and some of my food. Reaching into my satchel, I grabbed my canteen and gave it to him, seeing him drinking it as I help him by holding it up to his lips. He drank it as if he was tasting it for the first, which might be true.

"Will you ask them…will you ask them what kind of camp this is? What, uh, why are they here?" Winters asked, trying to find the right words to say as he too was trying to figure this whole thing out. My eyes were back on the man in front of me, though he looked more like teenager than ever. Hell, he _was _ a teenager.

"_Was its da heir?_" Joe asked in his German accent. The prisoner kept talking as I got up from the floor with the prisoner, whom kept walking over to the front of the gates and I stood next to Webster and Luz, the three of us in stunned silence with the whole thing.

"Doctors…musicians…tailors…clerks…farmers…intellectuals. I mean normal people." Joe translated before I heard the one word that dropped the whole bomb.

"_Juden…Juden….Juden._" The prisoner said in a broken tone, having me loose my own breath and close my eyes with the reality. This all somehow made sense now, in a weird way. There was no real reason why this was truly happening, and I would never think this was possible and really happening under our own very noses. But no, this was a hard slap of reality in the face.

"Jews." Joe dropped the bomb in such a calm tone, but I could tell he was shellshocked, "Poles and Gypsies."

Webster, Luz and I were looking ahead of us in horror, since we saw a huge pile of dead bodies. all naked and all looking like skeletons. I felt as though I could scream from not only the horror that was in front of me, but from the sheer shock that humans did this to other humans. This was beyond moral, beyond sane.

"_Wie biite? Was sagen sir?_" Joe asked in his German, having me turn my head slightly to hear him better as the German prisoner talked to him, then starting to sob uncontrollably as Winters asked him what he said.

"The women's camp is at the next railroad stop." I cringed, wanting to cry then and there as I looked on with Webster and Luz. This was all a bombshell for us, having us feel as though we were in another kind of time and dimension. Jews were held here, worked to the bone, and then killed. Why them though? What was the point? Who in their right mind would do this?

"Hey Babe, look at their arms." Malarky commented, having me look over to the left and see Babe and Malarky at the dead bodies that were close to them. I couldn't look myself, having me feel as though I was stuck in my own spot. Two silent tears were down my cheeks, having me feel the weight of the world on my shoulders and death right in front of me. A part of me wanted to protect all them, even the ones who were still trying to walk, but too weak and falling to the dusty floor. This was all too much for me, far too much for any of us who just discovered. It made me think of how the world worked now, was it all ever going to be the same again?

Not even close. Not anymore

* * *

><p>"This can't happen, not like this." Dr. Kent said to us Medics as we were waiting for his orders at the edge of the camp. It was later in the day, and the men were giving the now freed prisoners food from the truck, though they were trying to grab them all in a greedy state. Doc and I were ordered, along with the rest of the Medics, to wait for Dr. Kent for orders since he was our Head Medic as a regimental surgeon. he didn't like he was seeing, after us witnessing the vehicle coming back with piles of food and water.<p>

"Sir?" Doc asked aloud, confused to what was going to happen next.

"They can't do this to them. These men are going to die if they eat too fast because of their condition." He explained to us as he was pacing back and forth in front of us. It was true what he said, how these men can get sick and die if they ate too fast.

"We need to find a way to help him, but this ain't working." He kept talking, having us seen then Winters and Sink talking to each other. Kent walked over to him, having me breathe in slowly and look down at my own feet as he talked to Sink about what need to happen. Doc rubbed his head in a frustrated manner, coming closer over to me as I tried so hard not to cry again.

"Who could do something like this to human beings." I muttered in pain, having Doc look over at me and having me see him give me a grave look.

"Hitler, that's who." Doc replied back to me in a low tone, sounding as if he could break too. I shook my head, trying so hard to keep that image out of my head as we then heard Winters and Nixon questioning Kent on what was needed to happen.

"You want us to lock these people backup?" Nixon asked, shocked from his spot as Doc and I looked over at him.

"We got no choice, Nix." Colonel Sink replied in gruff, having me hold my head in my hands.

"Oh shit." I said in a miserable tone, Doc wrapping an arm around me as Spina sighed in defeat.

"Oh God." He replied, miserable from the news as Doc ushered me away back to the vehicle.

"Come on, Marley. Let's sit." Doc urged me, having me say nothing as we walked. My own head and heart was hurting beyond words, no longer wanting to find some kind if happiness. I slowly got up on the vehicle, sitting on the bench and feeling as though I want to vomit from all that happened. Doc stayed next to me, one arm around me and the other rubbing my arm in a soothing motion. He was trying to comfort me, to make sure that I was okay since I'm having a breakdown from all that was happening around me.

"I'm sorry, Doc," I said in a miserable tone, "I didn't mean to do this." I must have looked like a fool, crying over this though it was affecting my heart so much.

"It's fine, _gingembre._" He answered me, having me close my eyes as I hear Joe in the distance, talking to the prisoners in German. He was telling them to go back into the camp, I knew it from the bottom of my heart that they didn't want to go back. Who would, since the place was a death trap for them and was waiting to kill them every day they woke up and went to sleep. I could not imagine what was happening in there on a day to day basis. And to hear the men cry out in defiance against Joe who was still trying to talk to them in a calm tone. This was beyond horrible, and as he finished, I could hear the other soldiers trying to get them back in the camp. I knew the majors and Colonel Sink was trying to figure out what to do with them, and this was the only solution for them. But it was also a stupid one to do, making them go back to the nightmare.

It made me want to wake up. I had to wake up.

* * *

><p>I knocked on the door, poking my head in and seeing some of our men in the apartment, just sitting. After going back to the camp and getting the prisoners they proper food and being regulated under Kent, they were released and taken to the next hospital. Most of the citizens saw them and looked at them in horror as we escorted them in the hospital for intensive care, the doctors there were helping them out as much as they could with food and water. I got my now jacket back from the prisoner, whom gave it back to me and kept saying, "<em>Danke<em>." to me over and over with tears down his face.

After we did this, which took a good solid hour to get everything settled, we went back to our own quarters at the apartments with nothing to say or do. But it also meant that I haven't seen Joe since I broke down in tears in the vehicle with Doc. He was in a different vehicle coming home from camp, and he instantly went back to the apartments, not helping with the hospital. All of us were high sprung about making sure the citizens were okay, not even wanting to question the German citizens that were asking whom the prisoners were and why they were in their hospital.

Inside the room was Frank, Luz, Bull and Webster, all looking worn out and miserable from today. They all looked over in my direction, having me see them watch me with no smile on their faces and nothing see to do.

"You guys seen Liebgott?" I asked them all in a small tone, seeing some of them shake their heads. But Bull spoke up for me to answer the question. His voice was still rough, drained and almost broken.

"He's next door, not doing too good." He replied back to me, having me nod my head at him and he got up from his spot in his chair. He walked over, the heavy steps of his boots rattling the quiet room as we were standing face to face with one another.

"You need to check up on him. He's way out of shape ever since we came back from the camp." He explained to me in a low tone, having me hear the concern in his voice. I was now worried about him too since this would affect him the most. He was a Jew, and to see others like him with the same ethnicity and religion being killed because of who they are, that killed him. It would have killed me too.

"Thanks, Bull." I thanked him, seeing him nod his head once at me as I moved out of the room, walking down the hallway a bit to the next door that was closed. I could hear the others talk to each other in small murmurs, the conversations were not light but bitter. I couldn't blame them, but I had to find the one person who I knew would be affect by this the most.

I opened the door slowly, seeing only a lantern being lit in the darkness of the room. There was practically nothing in there: a small dressed and one queen bed that was stripped of pillows and blankets. There was a body on the mattress, facing away from me and almost curled in a ball. I could see the body was moving, breathing in and out slowly. It pained me, knowing who it was.

Joe.

From where I was, I saw him hugging himself and trying to breath, though it sounded so broken and fragile. His legs were tucked underneath, having me see his boots against the stained white mattress. I closed the door, not doing anything else for a moment before I spoke up.

"Joe." I merely said, having my voice me so soft and gentle as I walked over, slowly. He said nothing, doing nothing but lying there on the bed and just breathing. He didn't yell at me to leave him alone, nor did he show any movements towards me. As I got closer, I stood at the edge of the bed, looking down at him and feel my own heartache for him. Slowly and carefully, I got on the mattress and got close enough to hear him breathing. It was shallow, not even and not smooth. I peered over to se his face, and I noticed that he was crying. Tear marks were on his cheeks as he was staring at the wall in front of him.

Oh Joe.

I laid down behind him, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him close to me. Joe reluctantly wrapped his arms around my own in front of him, our fingers intertwining together as we just laid there together on the bed. I said nothing, I doubted he wanted to hear anything at that moment. Joe was slowly breaking apart at the seams from the incident today at the camp, seeing Jews who were on the verge on death in front of him. I nuzzled my nose against his neck, breathing him in and keeping the peace there as we just breathed together.

"I'm right here." I whispered to him in reassurance, having me hear nothing from him but feel him pull me closer to his body, having it look like we were molded as one body instead of two. My knees behind his knees, my front to his back and my head against his. Joe didn't know how to harness his own emotions and pain in the right way, and this was one pure example. I silently prayed that he would be okay, that he would feel me trying to soothe him and make him feel better about this. It was hard for me to watch him in his own personal Hell, seeing the pain in how he was staring at the wall and how he was curled in a fetal position. This was not the Joe that I loved, he was far away from me.

"I can still see their faces, Marley." Joe murmured in front of me, a scratchy voice coming out along with a teary one.

"I know, love." I replied back against his skin on his neck.

"It's haunting me…they're haunting me." He said now in a miserable tone, having me feel him about to cry once more in my arms as I pressed a kiss against his neck to show him that I was still with him, feeling his pain. I could still see them too, knowing that they too were haunting my mind constantly since we left the area.

"Come back to me, Joe," I whispered to him in a bold tone, knowing by this point he was crying and he was too far gone, "Please, come back to me. Don't leave me here." It was meant for him not to leave me here while he was suffering in his own mind. He couldn't do that, not to me. This time, it was him scarring me since he was shutting himself away from the others and not having a way to get out. I had to be there, to just hold him and show them how I was devoted to him and his happiness. The rest of the night was of us holding each other, saying nothing but being there for each other in the darkness of the night in Germany.

God, make it stop.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: Another small snippet of Marley and Joe together. Leave a review and let me know how I'm doing!**

* * *

><p>I woke up to the sound of a jeep going by the building in the wee hours of the morning, having me look around to see that I was still in the bed from where I was last. My dreams were plagued from the prisoners, looking at me as if they were needing more help. They were reaching for me, calling out for help. But it was just a dream, a cold dream that made me wake up in a cold sweat. But once I woke up, seeing the wall ahead of me, I realized that I was lying in a compromising position: Joe was in my arms.<p>

His head was on top of mine, having me realize that I was tucked into his arms under his chin. His hand was on my arm as the other was in my hair weaved into the locks there, our legs intertwined and our breathing was soothing. My own head was against his shoulder, having me hear him breathe in and out smoothly. There was also a blanket over the both of us, an army blanket that was thick and wool that we would use in cold harsh nights and at Bastogne. I didn't know how draped it over us, but I was not going to complain. There was no more pain in Joe's breathing, and no more crying was involved as well. I didn't want to wake him from this position since he was too peaceful and too much in a content space. He needed this rest, as much as he wanted to be strong in front of the group, he needed to sleep. I would too since I saw dead bodies everywhere and a mass amount of people on the brink of death.

Joe was, in fact, proud of being a Jew, there was no ounce of shame in him when it came to what he was. Although he was a practicing Catholic, he still saw himself as Jew and wore it like armor on his stature when he walked and talked. But this, seeing all that we saw and having no real position reaction from it, I knew that was the breaking point for him. To see him in tears as he told them to go back to the camp in order for them to get food and water, that must of killed him from the inside out.

I snuggled closer to him, I felt him stir in his sleep and I rested my cheek on his chest, hearing his heartbeat through his army jacket and shirt. It sounded so strong and so demanding, though he was gentle and so kind. His fingers on my arm moved slightly, having me stay still and watch the window on the other side that showed the moonlight shining into the small room we were in.

"You awake?" He asked in a groggy tone, having me keep my eyes on the window as his fingers in my hair raked through the red locks gently and with a soothing motion to it.

"Yeah," I replied, hearing nothing from him at first as I blinked again, "You okay, Joe?"

"I'm better." He replied. His voice wasn't short or in pain. It was a simple reply from his end, having me hear the vibrations of his voice as he spoke.

"How many do you think we saved?" Joe asked suddenly, having me think about it for a moment before answering him since he was clearly still thinking about the poor souls back at the camp.

"I don't know, maybe a hundred or two," I replied in a light tone, really thinking about it since it felt like a sea of them were there, "And others were a saved too, in other camps. This wasn't the only one."

"I still don't understand….why Jews?" He asked, having the question hang in the air as we were lying there in the cool early morning. That question was still _the _question for our entire company. I didn't think they would be seen as a threat at all, but for some reason they were. It pained me on the inside, have me realize that there was more to this war than I imagined.

"Who knows, Joe." I merely replied to him, feeling him hold my tighter to him as I saw a light drizzle come down from the sky onto the town, having me hear the rain lightly tap the window sill and the ground below.

"I just…I just want to forget…" Joe trailed off, having me look up at me and see him close his eyes on me. I scoot up to lay next to him, same eye level as I then had him turn to face me on the mattress. He stared at me then, having me see the tear streaks on his face and the coolness of his lips from the cold night.

"I don't want to forget," I said to him, having me see him watch me, "If I forget what I saw, then I would know that this war was meant for nothing. What we saw today, that made me realize why we're here and why we are doing what we're doing." I paused, going over what I just said to him in my head as it sounded crazy enough for me to word it out, "Even it means having nightmares about it for the rest of my life. It's a reminder of what was real about this war." After I told him this, I saw him watch me carefully, his eyes were still dark from the sheer horror of what we saw, but they were getting warmer none the less.

"Would you ever want to forget anything about this war, Marley?" he asked me, curiosity was in his eyes.

"Not one thing." I replied back, seeing him watch me carefully.

"Not even Sobel calling you out?" He asked me, having me pause him and watch him as he swallowed something down before going on, "Being lost that one night with Bull? Our fight even? Or almost being killed from that damn grenade?" It still pained him, remembering the incident with me and the grenade. I rested one hand on his cheek, feeling his warmth as I kept it there in an intimate fashion.

"Not one thing." I repeated to him, seeing his shake his head slowly.

"But why?" he asked, still in disbelief that I would want to have those nightmares haunt me.

"Because it's who I am now, Joe. If those things didn't happen, then I wouldn't be who I am right now in front of you. Things happen for a reason, and I don't want to take any of them back." I explained, thinking of how true it was. If I didn't go MIA with Bull, or almost get killed by a German solider on my first night in Normandy, and even the grenade incident, I would not of been as strong as I am now. Those things, those bad moments in my life, made me want to be stronger and better as a human and a Medic.

"I like what I see in front of me, even though I almost lost you so many times," Joe explained, having me watch him as he kept talking, "If there is one thing about this whole shithole of a war that I want to keep and never loose, it's the fact that I met you. You make me want to be a better person, no one has ever done that with me." I smiled at him widely, having me see him grin at me for the first time that night. It brought color to his face when he smiled, something that he needed since we saw the camp.

He then leaned in carefully, brushing his lips against my own and having me kiss him back carefully. We were needing comfort, not a lustful moment between the both us. Our kisses this time were intimate, having me feel his fingers against my neck and on my collarbone as my own hands were in his hair. He needed something to help him forgot about the pain, but I needed something to remember the reality of what this was. These kisses he was giving me though, they felt different. They felt more real and less of a fantasy. They way he pressed into me and kissed me was so intimate and so real that it made me know for a fact that this was no dream. This was happening and it was beyond real, and I was still getting the high from his lips on my own.

In some kind of change of tides my, hands were on his waist now, ghosting under his jacket and shirt and touching his skin, having me feel the hot skin against my cold fingers. He gasped against my lips, having me pull back from him to see that he was staring at me with big eyes and a small look of wonder on them. It was if an idea struck his head, a wondrous idea that took over his whole body. I waited, thinking I did something wrong. But it was _I _that was wrong, since he uttered three words to me that changed everything in the room.

"I love you." He said to me, as if it was too simple and so easy for him to say. He loved me: Joseph Liegbott from San Francisco loved me. He made it sound so casual, but it made me finally see him for all his worth. How long was he going to wait to tell me this? Why didn't I tell him before? He beat me to the punch, having me only stare at him back and give him a soft smile

"I love you too." I replied back to him, no longer afraid of saying it aloud to him. We both loved each other, and we had to say it to each other at the brink of war. It was funny, how we said it to each other as if it was easy like breathing, but we went through so much together to come to this point. There were points that had me doubt if we were going to fit together, since we both were so hotheaded and emotional for what we believed was right. Our hearts were too big to overlook and work on our flaws, and it must have been why we were drawn to one another. So I melted back in his arms, resting my head on his chest and feeling him pull me close to his body, the both of us looking at the ceiling once and hearing the rain getting a bit louder on the roof.

"Tell me something about you that you never told me yet." Joe said to me, breaking the moment of silence between us.

"My brother, Owen, he wanted to be in the army but he failed the test because he was deaf," I explained to him softly, tracing circles on Joe's chest with his thin shirt with my finger, "He was happy that I passed though I could tell it bothered him. You'd like him, my brother. He loves cars and he goes to car shows all the time."

"Sounds like a swell kind of guy." Joe replied, having me feel his hand was slowly lowering to my lower back as I went on, though I tried to hide the blush and shiver that was threatening to come through me, "What about your old man and mom?"

"My dad's a fisherman, born and raised on the waters." I explained some more, raking my fingers against his thin shirt to have him feel it against his skin, "My mother was a nurse, she was the best at the hospital. Some say I look like my mother, but I have my father's nose and his laugh." HIs hand was on my waist now, touching my bare skin under my jacket and having me feel that chill again.

"What about your mom and dad?" I asked him wrapping my fingers around his side to feel his ribs against the shirt.

"My dad's a real hardass, but a softie for the girls I brought home in the past. He loves to fish, takes me out every once in awhile and we can try to catch whatever is out there. He also plays the accordion, something he picked up from his dad, it's mostly polka stuff and other songs from Austria. But my mom, man would she adore you. She loves to bake and pours her heart into all the cakes and pastries she makes for me and the old man. She's always askin' me when I'm gonna find a Jewish girl." I grinned against his shirt, feeling him make circles with his finger against my skin on my lower waist as I looked up at him, seeing him grin down at me.

"You think she'll approve of a redhead from Louisiana?" I asked him, sitting up slightly so I was looking down at him with one arm resting underneath me. His hand was still on my waist, holding me close as I ran my fingers in his hair.

"I think you'd be something out of left field for her, but she'd like ya. Hell, she'd like anyone who's whipping me into shape and not putting up with my shit." He replied to me, having me smile down at him as he watched me from his spot on the mattress. His face then went soft, having me see then take my hand in his to intertwined the fingers, holding me there with his other hand still on my waist and his fingers gripping my hip.

"Would you ever think of marrying me?" He asked me, his voice was sounding so curious as I watched him. It made me think: Me marrying Joe. I would be Mrs. Liegbott, having me call him husband and him call me wife. It sounded so simple, yet we were from different parts of life and have seen different demons and sins. He wanted to know if I thought of marriage with him. I merely smiled at him.

"I don't know, Joe. I've been told I'm too much to handle since I'm such a hothead." I teased him, seeing him grin a toothy grin. But I saw that he was also serious about the thought of marriage, making me wonder why he thought of it now while we were till in Germany. He then rolled us over, having me squeal now as I was underneath him and he was looking down at me. His dog tags touched my chest as he watched me from above now, having me feel both trapped and exposed at the same time. I rested one hand on his hip still and the other on his neck, rubbing his skin with my thumb as his hands were on either side of my head.

"When we get home, away from this war, I wanna marry you. Honest to God, Marley, I wanna marry you." Joe explained to me as I watched him with admiration in my eyes and my heart swelling, "Only if you don't mind marry a Jew." The last part of what he said sounded strained, having me look at me with determined eyes now as I leaned up to be so close to his face.

"I'm not in love with you because you're Jewish, Joe." I reminded him, "I am in love with you because you take everything that I have done and you accept it, both the good and bad." Joe smiled at me as I whispered to him the last part that made this whole conversation official, "And yes, I do wanna marry you."

I was his, and he was mine.


	27. Chapter 27

Joe and I stood side by side as we watched the German citizens filing into the camp to help get rid of the bodies properly. It was ordered, against their will, since it was set to see that they were being punished for not knowing what was going on merely down the street from their own homes. After Joe and I woke up in each other's arms again, we both separated from each other in order not to get in trouble, though we are never caught in the same room. I knew the others had suspicions about us, but they weren't going to openly talk about it. Not without getting a black eye for a fat lip from Joe.

I held his hand in mine, my french braided hair was flowing in the wind as we watched ever person, man and woman come into the camp with shock on their lips and their handkerchiefs covering their faces from the smell. Joe and I chose not to cover our own faces, since the scent was the least of our worries now. I only stared, seeing each person look at us as if we are putting a gun to their head. Did it feel like that? How we were forcing them to help deposit dead bodies of innocent souls. Have they not have known? It was surprising for me to realize such a thing, though I was too far gone from arguing about it with other in higher authority.

I was then thinking about how Joe asked me to marry him, in Germany on a dirty mattress in all places. Sure I was no typical girl, but I was also some kind of hopeless romantic when it came to being proposed to. And Damn, Joe picked the perfect spot after seeing a slaughtering of his people and telling me he loved me. It showed to me that he too was far from a normal guy from Frisco. He still wanted to marry me though, after the war and after we were safe and sound. Joe saw value in me, and I did with him too. There was no second guessing my decision in wanting to marry him, I fell for the kid from the moment he made me laugh and smirked at me. There was no way in hell I was going to let him go now.

A couple was walking by, having me see them stare at our joined hands with disgust. Joe shoved our joined hands behind us slightly, still staring at them and showing no emotion as I did the same, seeing them walk away and try not to show their own emotion of hate. I gently squeezed his hand in mine, feel how cold his hand was in my fair one.

"Just breathe Joe." I reminded him, having me see him scan the camp again and see the horror behind his eyes.

"I wanna burn this place to the ground." He said through gritted teeth.

"So does everyone else in Easy," I reassured him, seeing him look over at me and I stared back at him with seriousness, "No one else is going to be hurt here, Joe. Remember that." He nodded his head at me, having me smile at him as he kissed my forehead, my other hand going to his arm and squeeze it there. He was still mourning, and I needed to stand next to him and let him know that he was going to fight this with me and the rest of the Easy Men, whether he likes it or not. After a couple of more citizens went into the camp to get to work, Nixon walked over to the both of us and gave us a short smile, though he too was grieving over what he was seeing and not giving the German people the light of day.

"La Noux, I want you to head over to the Hospital with Doc and Spina and do one last check up on the liberated men there, see if they need any more help and then after that, we're gonna head to Berchtesgaden." He explained to me, having me nod my head as he looked over to Joe, "I want you to go with them in case they need translating since Webster is off doing another errand."

"Yes sir." Joe replied, the both of us turning around and heading back to the jeep to go back into town. I was glad to be out of that area, way from the camp that did such terrible things to those who did not deserve it. Joe though, I could feel, was still trembling from the sheer sight of the place. This murdered him: heart and soul. He needed some kind of healing, because I knew he was never going to be the same. Never again.

"_Ii n'y a pas de plus, mon amour._" I whispered to him, knowing that he would not understand what I was saying. But I still had to tell him that it was all behind us now, and as we sat in the jeep and headed over to the hospital, I knew he was feeling the same thing that I was feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Guilt. Guilt and Shame.

* * *

><p>"Could you tell him to drink more water if he can, he needs to keep the fluids back in his body." I explained to Joe as we stood side by side in front of a liberated prisoner, who was watching us carefully. All of the prisoners were looking better, trying to get more weight in them but still failing since their bodies were rejecting the food that was given. I went through at least a dozen men at this point, and with the help of Joe, explaining to them what they needed to do to get better: sleep as much as they could, eat little by little with fatty foods, and drink more water than they were used to.<p>

"_Triken Sie Mehr Wasser, Wenn du Kannst._" Joe explained to him, seeing the man nod his head and then take both of my hands in his as if I was some kind of saint. I merely smiled at him, seeing the big eyes that he had and that they were about to gloss over in tears.

"_Danke_." He said to me in a sobbing tone, nodding his head over and over. He released me, having the pair of us then walk over to the next patient that was alone: a man in his mid-forties that looked as if he too has seen better days. But from what I saw, in how he was sitting in the chair and looking around, it was as if he was a teach of some kind. Poised, not scared to slumped over.

"_Guten Morgen Herr."_ I said to him learning how to say good morning was easy enough for me. But the man looked at me with a gentle look and nodded his head once.

"Good morning to you as well." He said back to me in a thick German accent, having both Joe and I floored since we were so used to the German Language by now. This was a real shock for the both of us, having me smile because I could't think of another thing to do.

"You speak English?" Joe asked with wonder next to me.

"I learned English when I was a young boy in my village, an American taught me. You don't know how good it feels to speak English after so long in the camps." he replied to the both of us, having me then fold my hands in front of him.

"Then is it okay if I examine you sir?" I asked him politely.

"Of course, since you're the first medic here to use common courtesy on me. The others just shove their fingers down my throat, as if I didn't know what they were saying." he said in an amused tone as I examined his throat for swelling and then his pulse.

"Why didn't you say anything then?" Joe asked with a shrug of his shoulders. The man shrugged back, a smug look on his face.

"No one asked." I grinned, having me look at him then with curious eyes.

"So, are you Jewish?" I asked him, taking his wrist in my hand and looking at my watch to time his pulse.

"I am not, though it never really mattered when I was in the camp. Most of the time they saw me as a Jew." He explained to me calmly, having me hear no tremor in his voice.

"So a German citizen then?" Joe asked, sounding a bit shocked to what he was hearing. I looked at the man as well, seeing him watch the both of us as I placed his skeleton hand down and on his lap.

"Born and raised in this very city to be exact, I know these walls and these buildings far better than anyone else here." he explained, looking around at the big room we were in with the other prisoners. I watched him in fascination, having me see him in more nurturing light since this was far more surprising than I expected. I had one question for him though, but I knew it would be touchy for him answer it.

"So, if you're not a Jew and you live here, why then were you in the camp?" I asked him, seeing him look back at me with stern eyes and a boldness in his stance on the table. He paused, having me stand in front of him and wait for what he was going to say, almost like a student waiting for a teacher to say some kind of speech.

"I was sent to this camp because I turned the cheek of the others around me. Before all this happened, I was a professor of sorts, teaching at the local school all about religion and philosophy. But when the SS came into our town, I was torn from my rights to teach anything about Judiasm, or anything else that was not involved with the Nazis. Now I knew I had to survive, but it was hard for me not to teach what I thought was honest and true.

As soon as the Nazis were in power, I was hoarding and protecting Jews from the SS, hiding them in the darkness of my home and in my attic and basement. There was no choice for me in the matter, I had to do it in the same of society and in the name os decency. I should know, I taught the subject of decency for decades." He laughed when he said this, having Joe and I floored from how light he took this. But when he went on, his voice became serious.

"I was successful for at least 2 years, helping them get food and find their way out of Germany. But the SS caught up with me, seeing that I helped and aided at least 200 people in the two years. I was sent to the camp 1 year ago, a year and two months since today to be exact." He explained calmly, as if it was nothing, but my own breath was lost. I was shocked, mouth opened slightly as Joe was speechless next to me as well. But the man looked cool and content in his seat.

"Jesus." Joe said aloud, the man smile as he said that.

"Well, He did have something to do with it. I was taught as a young boy to love the sinner and hate the sin, to help those who were made in the image of God. Now, we are all made by God and for God, and for me to see those men, women and children being sent away because of something that is their race, that made me want to save them myself. I was not afraid of being sent there in the camp because I knew my God would protect me there, just as he protected the lost souls and took them to Heaven to have peace." He finished his conversation, having me feel as though I was merely nothing in his sight. This man in front of me, whom look like he was about to collapse and die from being underweight and looking like a ghost, risked his own lit for two years and another two more to protect and save Jews. Tears were in my eyes as I reached out to him, taking his hands in my own and seeing him watch me carefully.

"What is your name?" I asked him in a broken tone, Joe placing his hand on my shoulder for support as the man smiled at me.

"I am Franklin Albrecht." He said to me, his voice sounding calm and perfect. I smiled widely at him, shaking his hand in my own. He deserved more than me, much more since he was so close to death so many times. I forget at times that people in the enemy country can choose to be against the emery. They can choose to look away and to be different, to step out of the boundaries of the norm and to save those who they knew could not save themselves. I may be a soldier, from Franklin was a bigger hero than me.

"I'm honored to have met you, Franklin. You are my hero." I confessed to him, seeing him smile at me and pat my hands with his own, though it felt as though I was nothing compared to what he has done and almost died for.

"My dear, I am alive and well because of you finding us. I pray that you continue your own work, do not have what has happened to me become a shadow within your lives." Franklin explained to the both of us though I knew he was directing it at me. He didn't want me to simply rely on his survival and think it was all that it took. He wanted me to live, to continue to fight for what I thought was good and true. Who was I to refuse that to him now?

I had to do it, for Franklin.

* * *

><p>We walked into the small town, me staying close to the men as I was looking at the clean and pristine town we were in. Compared to the other towns we took refuge in, the ruined and old places that looked like ghost haunted it, this looked as if it belonged in the papers, away from any sin or stains. Not one thing was out of place, except for the exceptional elephant in the room.<p>

No one was here.

Flags. White flags were hung from the windows. They were big, flying in the wind and blowing silently as we walked through the town of silence and solstice. Not one soul was around, having the rest of the men, including myself, looking around in wonder as to why we were here in the first place. This looked and felt like a trap, though nothing or no one moved to show any threat. I just looked at the high buildings and apartments around us as I saw the jeep Winters and Nixon was in, driving by us slowly. They were talking about why there was no one here, but my face was too occupied with the Alps around us, the high mountain peaks tucking us away from the world. We were so small in this place, small and insignificant as we walked some more.

"Eerie, not even any natives."

"That's because in this town you can't deny being a true Nazi." I heard Nixon explained.

"What do you mean?"

"You have to be to live here."

That gave me a more uneasy feeling in my gut. This was a Nazi town, the word _was _is used lightly. I doubted any other Nazi would want to be here again since from the looks of it, it was no longer Nazi territory. But the thought was still there, Nazis lived here, ate here, slept in the beds here, and that made me even madder about it. Did they think this was normal for them, another day on the job? But now they were going to be just a memory

A nightmare for the world.

"Hi-yo Silver!" The men cheered as we were racing up the mountains, me sitting on the side of a jeep over a wheel on the cover and feeling the sun hit my face as we were climbing up to Eagle's Nest, where HItler used to live. He was no dead, dead and no longer a threat to us. At least that's what I kept saying in my head. But now we were celebrating, that we were victorious and no longer in peril. This was us climbing up to the top of the stains and turmoil that has haunting us for months and months on end.

The more we got higher, the more relief I was feeling in the moment. There was no need to be afraid, no need to be scared that the next morning would be my last. We were living the easy life now, which meant that there was another thought of going on. When are we going to go home? Was it going to be anytime soon? Home. The thought in my mind seemed so foreign and so far away, since home was now me being with Easy Company. There was no other group of people I would fight and die for than this group since I knew they would do the same for me. I saw it, countless times, how they showed their love and affection towards me on and off the war ground. As they cheered that we won, the German falling and dying at our hands and feet, I had to remind myself that this was good, what we were doing was good.

I followed the men into the Eagle's Nest, seeing them all scatter and look around as I looked as well, The place was a palace, built on top of the mountain and looking more like a fortress than ever. It was as if they were going to be held here for the rest of their lives if something went wrong, and it did. I couldn't help but look at the scenery around me, seeing the high mountain tops and how we were in Hitler's retreat. It felt out of place, as if we were on rare fragile ground. I shouldn't be here, no one should. But the rest of the boys were looking at the place as if they won the lottery. Did we?

"La Noux." I looked behind me having me see Malarky walk over to me, a small on his face as he watched me from my spot on one of the balconies of the fortress.

"What do you think?" he asked me, having me look over at me in confusion.

"The guy knew how to live, that's for damn sure." I replied back to him, seeing him nod his head, the optimism never left his face.

"It's kind of cozy if you think about it. Maybe you and Liebgott can shack up here after the wedding." He joked with me, having me smirk at him though my eyes were back on the mountain view that was in front of me.

"Oh, I don't think Joe would want that. He'd rather torch this place to the ground." I replied back, seeing him look over at me now with a more sincere look on his redheaded face.

"But this is good, Marley." He used my first name, having me watch him with my eyes as he went on, "I mean, the war's over and we can go home." I thought about it again, the concept of home. It still felt strange to me, since this was all I was used to and knew from the back of my hand.

"Home." I said aloud, as if it was a new word to understand and to obtain, "I don't know but….I can't picture home at all in my head." It was true, since all that was plaguing me was this time, this war in this country. All the good and bad, the broken and fear, it was coming at me. It was harder to think of my home and how pleasant it was since my mind was now plagued with what was right in front of me. I could feel Malarky squeezing my shoulder with his hand.

"Give it time, Red. Give it time."

* * *

><p>Days went on by as we were staying in that town, trying to find out who and when they were going to go home. There was a lottery rolling around, certain people that the right to go home and be home for good, and I hoped it was me. But low and behold I was stuck with Easy, though it was a lighter fell since we would only go on patrol every once in while and the rest of the time we would be together, hanging out and talking about simpler things. There was no one to fight, nothing to fight for, not anymore really. But it was a matter of time before someone was going to snap in two and become a monster. I was a witness to it, a bad one.<p>

I was in a jeep with three others, Sarge Grant and two other soldiers. I was with them on a routine check in one location where I got some more supplies since my own stash was low. I hitched a ride with them, and I was also bored. But Grant was in the middle of a story with us as we were going down a dark road with no one around.

"I don't get it." Said one of the soldiers to Grant's story.

"lt's D-Day. lt's 2nd Platoon's own Bill Guarnere. Old Gonorrhea himself. Just landed in Normandy and all wound up.' Whose side?'' What a character." Grant explained in a grin, having me smile from the sheer thought of Wild Bill. I missed that guy, he was a true character. Though his memory was short lived when we saw two cars up ahead of us, both of them stopped and one soldier hunched over the second one, looking as if he was in trouble. But it was the two dead bodies in front of him on the road that worried me, as well as Grant since he slowed down the jeep.

"What happened to him?" The soldier asked, clearly still on the story with Bill. Grant's face was on the man though, who looked over at us with a glazed look on his face.

"Got his leg blown off in Bastogne. Wait here." he said aloud as he got out of the car slowly, walking over to the man. The man then walked over to him, having me then feel as though everything around us was frozen solid. He had a gun in his hand, and he was smiling.

This was not good.

"You okay, Mac? You need some help?" Grant asked calmly, though the man was laughing and not even showing any kind of seriousness to him. I slowly got out of the jeep too. I knew I had some stuff in my pack for something like this, getting him pills that would take away any kind of headache and food a well. He was drunk, beyond drunk.

"The wouldn't give me any gas. Krauts." he said in a gleeful tone as I walked over, standing behind Grant and keeping still.

"I tried to explain. This fucking limey wouldn't listen! I think he was a major." He said, having me see the second body and notice that it was an English uniform.

"Look, private, we got a problem here." Grant started in a low tone, but as soon as the man looked over at him, I knew he was on the brink of crazy.

"Do you have any gas?" He asked in a wondrous tone though the alcohol was slurred in his tone.

"Private, I had food for you if you need it, and water to get you sober." I started, seeing Grant look over at me as I shuffled through my satchel to get him something. But I looked up, seeing him eye me suspiciously and Grant placed an arm in front of me, holding me back.

"I don't need your fucking food!" He screamed at me, having me go silent as Grant spoke again.

"Why don't you give me your weapon?" He asked, walking over to him and holding out his hand to take the gun. But the man moved away, looking at the two jeeps as if he was thinking of a good reason to steal them both. I was scared of what he was going to do next, beyond scared since I couldn't move my feet off the floor.

"Well, I guess I'll just use his jeep. I don't think he's gonna need it." He said in a simpler tone, about to walk away when Grant went after him.

"Hold on a second, alright?" he asked, but then a gunfire went off and I screamed. Grant fell to the floor, his blood on my face and jacket and the solider ran off with his own jeep. The two soldiers from our jeep ran out of the jeep and over as I ran to Grant, grabbing his head and holding it in my hands. He was bleeding out, and there was nothing I could do as the drunk soldier was driving away with seconds. And here I thought all would be well for us from here on out. I was still going to be covered in blood, no matter what. The two soldiers came to us, having me look up at one of them.

"Go find help!"


	28. Chapter 28

I was staring down at my bloody hands, still having blood on my own face and jacket as I was waiting to hear back from the doctor that we took Grant to. It all happened so fast, too fast for me since one minute I was riding in a car with three other soldiers and the next I was covered in blood and seeing Grant in front of me, not moving at all. On the way back to base, I was trying to find a way to save him and make sure he stayed alive, making sure no one else touched him and was barking orders to drive faster. Once we reached the base, he was taken from me by Doc and a captain. I thought he was dead, though I checked his pulse and got most of the blood off of him by the time help came back that was of Doc and another Captain, he was still alive but barely. I was stone cold quiet, trying to breathe in and out though I was having another pain attack and feeling as though I should scream.

Why was I acting like this? I have seen death before, ever since landing in Normandy I have been around death. But this time, seeing it mere inches away from me from another American soldier who was under the influence, that was too much for me. It so quick, like a blink of an eye, and now I was sitting against the wall with Doc and the other two soldiers talking to the Head Doctor to see what he could do. I have been here for about five minutes since we came back from the ride in the jeep, my breathing was still shallow and out of sync. I was trying to remind myself that I was okay, that I was fine and not shot in the head. But Grant was, and he was on top of the table with an IV and ready for anything to happen.

The door opened, having me see Luz walk in at a brisk pace and look around a second before he looked over at me. I was still hunched over on the bench, hands folded in front of me and my elbows on my knees. He walked over to me then, having me look up at him as he watched me with concerned eyes.

"I heard what happened. You okay?" He asked me, having me take in a shaky breath.

"I don't know." I replied back to him in a shaky tone, seeing him nod his head as he squatted down in front of me.

"Okay, just breathe okay? Spiers wants to talk to you about what happened and make sure you're okay. You wanna walk with me?" He asked me, having me feel him place a hand on my arm. I shook my head though.

"I wanna know what's going to happen to Grant," I explained, seeing him watch me carefully as I then heard the double doors open and three men walking out, including Doc. They were huddling over a body that was on a stretcher, whom I knew would be Grant. Doc was holding the red tube in his hand over his head to make it level as the tube was attached to Grant, who was still unconscious. I shot up from my spot, moving away from Luz and watching as they were huddling him out of the room I was in.

"What's happening to him?" I asked out aloud, seeing Doc look back at me.

"We're gonna find a surgeon. Stay here, _Gingembre_, it's gonna be okay." He reassured me as they were out the door again. Luz grabbed my arm again, having me look at him with big eyes and still uneven breathing, This was way too much for me, and it was reading on my face when Luz smiled at me weakly.

"Come on, Red. Can we go sit down and have a smoke? I think you need a stiff drink too." He reassured me, walking me out of the room and through a hallway in one of the apartments.

"I need Joe." I said to him in a bit of a moan, hearing nothing from him at first.

"Yeah, well Joe and the rest of the guys are on a manhunt for the bastard who did that to Grant, so you're stuck with me. Okay?" He asked me, having me see him watch me carefully with his serious eyes. I gulped, nodding my head and showing that I understood. The rest of the boys were playing witch hunt for the guy, and I was just glad that I had someone to be around for a moment or two rather than be alone.

Luz and I walked over to the lobby of one of the buildings, the clean area had a couple of chairs and Luz sat me down in one of the chairs, walking over to his own pack as I was trying to breathe in and out again. But all I saw in my head was Grant's bloody face and his body on the floor, motionless.

"Here, drink this." Luz handed me a red wine bottle, having me look up and reach over to grab it. But as I was reaching for the bottle, I could see Grant's blood on my hands, which were both soaked in blood and was drying over from walking around in the cold of the night. I never had time to clean off my hands, so this was still sinking into my brain. Something came over me then, having me wish that I could find the man that did this to Grant and just…..kill him.

"You look like hell." Luz commented to me as I took one long drink from the wine bottle, having me feel the effects of the alcohol hit my face tenfold and I squinted. Luz instantly grabbed the bottle from me as I held my head in my hands, trying to find some way to calm down.

"Jesus, Red. Take it easy on the alcohol eh?" He asked me, though I was still trying to breathe on my end.

"It happened right in front of me, Luz. I was standing right behind him." I stated to him as I heard the door opening next to us. We both looked, having us see that it was Spiers. He walked in, having me start to get up from the chair, but he held his hand up to me to stop me.

"You're fine, La Noux. Just relax okay?" He asked me, his voice was polite but still having a command to his tone. I slowly got back down on the chair, seeing him squat down in front of me as I was watching him, hands were still shaking and my head was still swimming with the bloody image of Grant in my head.

"Now, I know this is probably going to be hard for you at the moment. But I want you to try and tell me…how it happened." Spiers explained to me, having me nod my head and try to stay still.

"We were just driving on the road, Sir. We approached the vehicle with the drunken private there, and we saw the two bodies there. Grant tried to talk to him, and I tried to help with my food rations and my water, but he….he was looking at me…" I stopped, gasping for air since it all came out at once.

"Did he hurt you?" Spiers asked me calmly, though I could tell the mere thought of me being hurt by him was about to get him off.

"Other than telling me to fuck off, he didn't come near me." I muttered, having me see a flare of hate in his eyes from how I said it, "But he just…he just shot him right in front of me as if he was…" I had to stop since I could feel myself hyperventilating. Spiers nodded his head as Luz placed his hands on my shoulder to give me support and to calm me down.

"Okay, okay, just take a deep breath. You're fine, you're okay here. Now, did you notice what he looked like? Did you see a name on his uniform?" He asked me calmly, seeing that I was having a hard time breathing. Why was I having this kind of meltdown now, after the war and seeing death around me so many times? Maybe it was because I thought the war was over and there wasn't going to be any more pain in my eyes, that this was towards the end when it was all calm.

"I don't know. I don't think so….he didn't look familiar to me…he might of been a replacement." I explained to him in a raspy tone as he soaked in all that I said. He got up slowly, looking over at Luz then.

"Keep an eye on her for me." He ordered Luz, having me finally look up at him with big eyes and failing look on my face. I shook my head in a fast pace, not wanting to be seen as weak in his eyes.

"Sir, I'm okay," I said to him in reassurance but he wasn't convinced, "I don't need a babysitter."

"You just tried to save Grant and that took a lot out of you, so you just need to take a load off. It's nothing against your own strength," he started, seeing that I was wounded with the thought of being weak, "You can only take so much until you break. Even the best soldier needs a break, and you're one of the best we have here in this Company. So…I am ordering you to stay here with Luz and not worry about it." I was still sore about the thought of being looked after like a little girl, but then again he did have a point since I was being overworked these days. It was still a shock that he called me one of the soldiers in Easy Company.

"Yes Sir." I ghosted out from my lips as I saw Spiers looking over at Luz now with determination in his eyes.

"What are you going to do about the soldier?" Luz asked, still behind me and keeping his hands on my shoulders to either keep me there so I wouldn't run or to give me comfort with my nervous breakdown. I watched as well, seeing something behind Spiers's eyes go red hot and was flaring. This seemed personal to him, very personal. And it would be too since I was reminded some time ago that if one member of Easy Company was harmed, then the rest would bring hell. I would bring it as well since I was so close from seeing it that he did harm one of my brothers. Spiers still looked composed, though I could tell he was fuming.

"We're gonna deal with him."

* * *

><p>What felt like hours later, sitting with Luz and going through at least three cigarettes to calm me down, I was just zoned out at this point. We were waiting in the same room as the rest of the men were out and looking for the soldier that was behind this whole stressful incident. Since I had no choice in the matter of whether or not I could go and find the guy, I tried to calm myself as much as I could. Lux was with me, as faithful as a dog would be to its master, and talking t me about meaningless things to get my mind off of what was going on. He even got me Archer, whom was staying with him that night when I was doing my rounds. Archer curled up at my feet, resting his head on my feet and looking up at me as I was sitting in the chair. Archer was too good to me, somehow seeing that I was having a bad night, and he was trying to stick so close to me like glue.<p>

"This one time, I got off lucky in school," Luz explained to me in a light tone as we were talking together, waiting for anything to happen, "I was imitating the principle at my school: Mr. Shafer. He was such a tyrant, Red. Everyone hated his guts; he had a big double chin and he looked like he would bust out of his shirt because he was so hug. So one time, I was waiting for him outside his office since I was already in trouble with my teacher. He wasn't in the office, and the phone rang, giving me the best opportunity to go in and talk on the phone. I got 100 orders of bologna to be arranged to come to the school and to be placed in his office." After he explained this, we both smiled from hearing the story, Luz's smile was so big and so affectionate that it made me smile, given the circumstance that we were in.

"Thanks for making me feel better Luz." I thanked him, seeing him keep his smile he watched me from the other chair that he was sitting in, more leaned back and trying to relax as I was trying to do the same.

"You got it, Red. I know any of the others would do the same for you." He reassured me in a sincere tone, having me now look at him in a questioned manner. There was still that lingering thought, of these men putting their lives out of the line for me. I was the only female in the company, let alone a Medic. Now I would do the same for these guys if they were hurt, Hell I've been doing that for the past few years now. But for them to do that for me?

"You guys would…." I trailed off, not being able to find the proper words to say out loud for him to hear. But he caught what I was trying to tell him, having me see him lean forward in his chair.

"We would do anything for you. You're a part of this Company, you're one of us." He reminded me, having me see the sincere look on his face as he said this, "You're put your own ass on the line for us, and we would do the same for you, you got me?" I merely smiled and nodded my head. It was good to hear it from someone who was not the voice in my head. I always had a demon in my soul and mind, telling me that I was not good enough for the company and for the war. But I had people like Luz and Doc, even Bull and Winters for that matter, to remind me that I was needed with them and a part of their Company. Joe was the best of all for this, seeing worth in me and running with it.

The doors opened hastily, having the both of us look over and see a sea of Easy Company men fly into the room, all huddle together sit they were holding someone in the middle of the group. Luz and I shot up, having me see them all stop in front of me and then they were all watching me now. I still was covered in dry blood and sweat since I didn't want to take it off. I saw, within the sea of faces, the faces of Babe, Bull, Martin, Perconte, Lipton, Doc and lastly: Joe. They all saw me, having me see them and hear one person struggling behind them as if they were being held against their will.

Joe shoved his way through from the boys, all whom were watching me with scared and anger in their eyes as Joe hugged me close, having me clutch him back. He looked more scared for me then, though when he came into the room he looked angry with the rest of the Easy Company. But now as he was hugging me, I could feel him hold me as if he was afraid I was going to disappear on him. He then pulled away from me, framing my face in his hands and examining me with his eyes. I must have looked bad, since I was still covered in blood on my hands and my face had some from the splatter.

"You okay? Did you get hurt?" he asked me in a rushed concerned tone as I shocked my head, his hands going with the motion of my head as I saw him unconvinced.

"I'm okay, Joe. I'm fine, I promise." I said back to him in a soft tone, but it was coming out broken since I was on the brink of tears from seeing his face again. He took in a deep breath, sighing in relief as we both then heard the grunting once more. We both looked over, having me see Bull bringing forward someone in his massive hands, holding them by the jacket. My own happiness from seeing Joe was no forever gone, since it was him.

The solider who shot Grant.

He was out of breath, looking like he was ranged down by the men. That must of been what happened, since the others looked out of breath and angry beyond normalcy as I watched the man now with massive anger in my own stance and face.

"Marley, is this the guy?" Bull asked me calmly, though he too was pissed. I looked at the man, seeing him again in my eyes from the moment we saw him on the road and him after he shot Grant. This was the same guy, who was now looking as if he was seeing a ghost. He watched me now with big eyes as I was glaring at him, so much hate was in my veins and coming over me like wave.

I walked away from Joe, going towards the man and see him watch me now with both fear and pain in his eyes as I was standing a foot mere inches away from him, eyeing him up and down. A part of me told me to forgive him, tell him that he was just being stupid and not thinking straight. But another part, a dark part, wanted to kill him for even touching an Easy Company member in such a way.

"You shot him." I said in a statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He grunted back at me, trying to hold his own ground, but I shook my head. No, he was not going to get away with this.

"You…shot him…point blank for trying to help you." I said to gritted teeth, having me see the flare in his own eyes and my own energy trying to calm myself down before I lost it on him.

"I didn't do anything." He spat back at me, having me see Bull pull him back as I then lost all sense of composure on him. This was all too much, this whole night and all that happened.

"YOU SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD!" I belted out at him, hearing nothing from anyone after I said that. Everyone was silent, watching me carefully and seeing that I was beyond angry now, This was great for them to see: since I was apparently the normal one in the group of Easy Company men. The man glared at me now, still not going to show that he did it.

"You're delusional, you fucking bitch." He spat at me, having me then see Bull snap his arm back and the man howl in pain. Joe was then next to me within a moment, pulling his arm back and punching the man hard in the face, having me see red coming down from the man's neck as he yelled in pain once more.

"Watch your fucking tongue, prick!" Joe growled at him, having me push him back before he could do any more damage as the man was still in pain. I didn't want have him fight this battle that was meant for me and me alone, since I was there and I still had the blood caked on my hands and face. As the man was doubled over, I grabbed his chin roughly and I had him look at me, though he was still trying to get through the pain of both the punch from Joe and the arm snap from Bull.

"You see this?" I said to him in a growl, holding up my spare hand that was tainted red and dry against my fair skin, seeing him watch the hand that was waving its fingers in front of him, "This is the blood of that man who was carelessly shot because he wouldn't give you one ounce of a fuck. You decided to take one man's life because he wouldn't give you one drop of gas, and for that, I can only wish you outlive these men here, if not me." I then swung my own hand back, making a fist and within seconds it landed across his nose on his face. I could hear the nose breaking, his scream piercing the room and my own hand throbbing. My skin was blood again, from the ripped skin that I had from the punch, but it was swelling up as Bull pulled him back and Joe grabbed my arms, pulling me away from him before I could get another punch in.

"Get him in the room before she rips him apart." Luz said to Bull as the men all followed him as he carried the now beaten soldier into the room next to us, then closing the door behind them. I was left with Luz, Joe and Doc, all of them were coming over to me to make sure I was okay. Doc grabbed my hand, examining it as Joe was framing my face again, his face was now looking more sort and careful.

"Take a deep breath, Marley. Breathe with me okay?" He said to me in an urgent tone, having me follow his breathing to calm myself down, over and over. It worked, since I could feel the anger slowly slipping away from me as I was looking into his eyes and see him do the same thing to me as I did to him when we were back in Germany. I helped him calm down so many times, now it was his turn to do the same for me.

"There you go, sweetheart." He said to me in a small smile as I blinked, feeling a bit better though my hand was on fire from the punch I gave the soldier. I looked over at Doc, finally from looking at Joe for so long. Doc looked up at me, worry was in his own eyes as he held my bruised and bloodied hand in his.

"I don't think you think you broke anything, you must of just swelled it up big time." He explained to me, having me sigh in relief.

"You know, for a Catholic Medic, you sure can throw a mean punch." Luz said next to me in some amusement, though he was just as serious as the rest of us there in the room. I could hear the punches and shots from the men in here, hitting the guy hard and giving him hell. It made me look back at Joe, who was watching doors with intense eyes and the look of hate there.

"I'm going there with them." He said aloud, having me see him look back at me, "Stay here with Luz." Before I could even argue with him, he walked off and went into the room, having me frozen there with Luz and Doc. There was a part of me that wanted to join in with them hitting the guy and making him feel hell, but I already had enough of him and for being angry. It all spilled over me, all of the pain of the war and every ounce of frustration from the battles. It all came at once in that one punch, and I was glad that I did it.

* * *

><p>I was back at my own living quarters, looking out at the streets again and having me own hand feel as though it was slammed into a wall. I was no longer angry, since that feeling was no longer in my blood or in my mind now. I was such, too far gone from caring about what happened to him since I already gave him a piece of my own mind. I took a long shower after I was released from Luz, getting the blood off my face and also trying to get rid of the stains of my past demons and fears. It was no luck.<p>

The door opened behind me, having me look over my shoulder to see who it was. I changed into a clean white shirt and my army pants, my hair was framing my face since I had no care about putting it in a braid. It was Joe at the door, closing the door quietly behind him as he then walked over to me. I could see on his face that whatever they did to the solider was no good, well, not good enough for him. He still looked out of it, maybe from him punching the soldier for insulting me or just hustling him with the other boys.

"How's your hand?" He asked me, reaching down to take my purple and blue buried hand in his. I did nothing, though it hurt when he touched it as he looked at it carefully. It was England all over again, him looking at my wrist after I was harassed by another soldier who thought I was too easy for him.

"I can take it." I replied to him, seeing him still stare at my hand, but something else was plaguing his mind. It was tearing into his brain, like a nagging sin. I grabbed his jacket with my other hand, hoping to bring him back to reality.

"What is it?" I asked him, seeing him bit his own lip. This must be bad since he wasn't looking right at me to tell me. But I chose to wait instead of rushing him.

"I didn't tell you something, something that I did with Webster and another recruited solider." He explained to me in a slow tone, having me raise a eyebrow to him as he went on, "We didn't tell anyone what we were doing, and no one knows about it really." He moved away from me, a few steps away from me and looking out the window. I stayed glued to my spot, watching him carefully now since I was now petrified of what he did.

"What did you do?" I asked him cautiously, though he hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He finally looked at me as if he was looking at a preacher or a commander, struck with guilt.

"The three of us went out to find a German Captain…who was in charge of one of the camps that held and killed the Jews…and I went there to kill him." Joe said calmly, but I could tell this was somehow affecting them. I said nothing, but I watched him with fear in my own eyes and another round of anger slowly coming over me. He went behind my back, without telling me, to someone whom could of killed him if they wanted to. This was insane, more insane for me to think about.

"Are you out of your mind? What were you thinking?" I asked him in disbelief as he tried to find his words.

"I wanted to find the bastard and kill him for what he did." He replied back to me cooly, having me rub my own eyes in frustration. I was trying so hard, so very hard, not to rip him a new one and call him an idiot and a fool for what he did.

"Was he even armed?" I asked him aloud, seeing him shake his head.

"He was hiding out." Joe explained, having me now glare at him.

"And you're the one that yells at me for scaring you? Joe, this is beyond scary; he could have killed you and not even think twice about it." I explained calmly to him, but I could feel the venom coming through my voice as I walked over to him, grabbing one of his hands in my own.

"I wanted him to pay for what he did to those people in that camp!" he said back to me, his voice rising a bit and having me watch him as another wave of sadness was roaring over him. I sighed, frustrated with him and hothead ways since this incident almost got him killed and let me alone in this world.

"This is insane." I said aloud without realizing it, thinking to myself on how stupid it was for him to do this. I looked away from him, trying to calm myself down by closing my eyes and covering my eyes with my hand, placing my hand on my hip and breathing in and out slowly. I then heard shuffling next to me, Joe moving from foot to another.

"I get it." I opened my eyes, looking at him now with confusion on my face as he was looking out the window with misery written on his face.

"I get that I'm not normal enough…it's fine." He trailed off, having me completely out of the blue of what he was talking about.

"What are you saying, Joe?" I asked him, my voice was simple and calm now. Joe closed his own eyes, sinking into some kind of misery.

"I can understand how you wouldn't want to be with me now. I'm too much of a basket case who can't control his temper, it's fine." As soon as he said it, I saw the pain in his stance and how he was trying to compose himself. He thought he was too far gone to be with me, too far gone being angry at the Germans. He was thinking, within himself, that he was now not good enough for me. It made me look at him in a new light: seeing him beating himself up over the insecurities that were plaguing his mind. I felt bad, feeding him those insecurities with my blow up on him. Reluctantly, I walked over a few steps to him and faced him as he still had his own eyes closed.

"I still want to be with you," I explained slowly, seeing him open his eyes and look over at me as if I was lying to him, "I'm still in love with you, Joe. It's just….this side of you that's filled with hate and aggression and violence….that's not the Joseph Liebgott I fell in love with." I took his hand in mine, feeling him squeeze my hand as I smiled at him.

"I'm not planning on leaving you anytime soon, okay? I still wanna marry you, grow old with you, and maybe even have kids with you. Screw it, I _want_ to have kids with you, okay? Let's have a dozen kids for Christ's sake!" I told him in a light tone, seeing him slowly break into a smile as I reached up to frame his face gently in my hands, "You told me once never to scare you ever again. Now it's your turn: you have to promise me right now that you will never, ever, scare me like that again. You understand me?" I asked him in a serious tone, seeing him slowly nod my head. I leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss, feeling him wrap his arms around me as he kissed me back. We were both on mutual ground with each other now.

Look out for one another, and keep each other sane. It's a fair deal.


	29. Chapter 29

"Here, I got one I got one." Luz said to us all as we were gathered in a larger room in the Germany apartments, sitting together and talking with lit candles and just having a relaxing night. After hearing that Grant was going to be okay, we all needed a break and we all needed a laugh. All of the boys took care of the solider who shot him, which made me not want to know what they actually did. Joe reassured me that I shouldn't know since I was already a shaken leaf with the whole ordeal. It took a good amount of kisses, whispered promised against my skin and just him holding me to bring me back to the reality that Grant was okay, and I was okay with him. So in the wee hours of the night, a group of us got together under the watchful night and jut talking about meaningless things that were in our past and what was meant for our future.

Most of the men were talking about memories of the past that were both embarrassing and terrible, the room being filled with laughter as I sat next to Doc, the both of us side by side against a bed as Malarky was above us, laying out on the bed and looking at the ceiling with his cigarette in his lips. Wine was being passed around, each of us taking a swig and having the taste sink under my skin nd down our throats. Luz was against the wall, Frank next to him as well as Christenson and O'Keefe. Buck was against the bed near my leg. Bull was in a chair, leaning back with a big grin on his face, along with a couple of the other men from our Company. Joe was across from me, dragging out his own cigarette and sitting in another chair next to Bull, smiling throughout each memory shared and laughing with the rest of us. We were both content on where we were, taking each other's faults and demons and moving forward with them.

I was still heated that he went after a German Captain with Webster and Sisk, since to me it was a risky and stupid move on his part. He could have been hurt or killed, and to have his own emotions come over him rather than think about it, that was the worst part. It was one of his faults: the hotheaded impulsive side of him that could be deadly within a blink of an eye. But then again he was trying to find revenge, seek out the vengeance for all who died in those camps. There was still more to Joe than I anticipated, but I was not one to have his negative setbacks be the center of my view of him.

We would eyes each other every once in awhile as stories were shared, having me see the same glint in his brown orbs and how his smile looked in the light of the candles in the room. I only smiled back at him, knowing that we both shared a fleeting glance at one another that the others wouldn't dare to think was past friendship.

"So this one chick I picked up at a store, right? Nice smile, pretty in the face when she smile with no teeth. But when the girl opened her mouth, it was like I was looking right into a bat French person's mouth….only like 5 teeth there!" We all groaned from his story, then laughing as he was howling in his spot.

"How about this one: I was with this one good looking girl who I met in school. We were back at her place, kissing into oblivion, when all of a sudden I see that she was lopsided in the chest!" Buck said to the group, having us all laugh once more as I was sitting next to Doc, seeing him smirk though he was not as loud with the laughter as the rest of us were. I had my head leaned against his shoulder though he didn't mind at all as we were listening to all the stories of old flames and old pranks. My hand was still sore, a bit purple and blue and was still healing. Since my punch out with the soldier, I was getting more intense glare from the men since they were now seeing me in a new light. Rather than being a delicate flower, though I knew they saw me a tough enough to get through war, I was unofficially a badass in their minds. Well, at least that's what Luz told me.

"You got any embarrassing stories there, Red?" Frank asked me as he watched me from the other side of the room. I tried to think of a good one, my head still on Doc's shoulders as they were all watching me now, big grins on their faces.

"I have one, about medical school," I explained, sitting up and crossing my legs in front of me before I went on, "I was about 19 at the time. We had a patient come in, this smooth talkin' guy who's sitting the bed with gauze wrapped around his waist like fifty times. He starts trying to have a conversation with me, flirting with me if you will." As I said this, all of the men were listening intensely. I could even see Joe leaning in a bit to hear the rest of the story from his spot on the chair.

"He was trying to get my address so he could take me out to dinner. I knew he was still of shit, he sounded like it from where I was. Anyways, I grab his paperwork and I realized….he got his cock blown clean off from a hunting accident with his buddy." I explained some more, hearing the men groan in unison and some of then even crossing their own legs. But I held up a finger to them.

"Oh, it gets better. I decided to be the devious one and go over to my friend Kate, she's the prettiest nurse in the whole ward and I told her to try and see if you can get his wood up, if it is still workable really." I explained some more, hearing the snickering of the men from hearing the plane that I had made, "So she walks over there, and already he's long gone from seeing her there with her face. She talks to him….and after a good five minutes he yells out in pain and grabs his crotch as if it was lit on fire." The men roared in laughter from the story, having me grin from ear to ear as they were just enjoying that story a bit too much. I only took another swig from the wine bottle that was handed to me by Doc, who was also laughing from next to me.

"Geez, Red. You are one hell of a Catholic Nurse." O' Keefe said in a grin to me, having me see the innocence on his face and how his laugh reminded me of a child. I just shrugged my shoulders. We all were quiet then but content with being around each other and having a moment of peace within that room.

"What do you think you're gonna do, after this whole thing is over?" Malarky asked all of us from behind me, having me think about it. After this war: the mere thought sounded so far away yet it was closer than we thought. We are going to be heading back to America any time soon, and once we were there, we were on our own. No more patrols, no more getting shot at, restless nights and constant empty stomachs. We were going back to a normal life, but was it normal? To me, what I was doing now was normal. I was so used to being a combat medic, being used to going out on the line for my fellow comrades in the war. So, going back to New Orleans…it was if I was going into the war again: new and scary. Was I going to have a normal life anymore?

"Get my old job back I guess," Luz replied, having me see him grimace from the mere thought, "Who knows. I'd be fine with even moving furniture around for a living."

"High doubtful," Frank commented from his spot, "Maybe I'll go back into the family business."

"Going back to school for once, and finishing finally." Webster said in a thoughtful tone from his own spot against the window, leaning against it in deep thought.

"I wanna travel," I said aloud, thinking of it more since Doc and I spoke about it in Germany, "See the rest of America that I haven't seen yet: New York, Washington, maybe even San Francisco." As soon as I mentioned San Francisco, Joe and I locked eyes on one another, having one moment with each other even in the room filled with men who were contemplating on their own futures. I only stared at him, no smiling or frowning. We both were seeing a future together, whether it was traveling around America or just settling down in a house away from the rest of the world. I didn't mind where we were going to be, as long as he was a part of it and not away from it. This war was going to be a big dent in my life, a high one, and it was never going to fade off. But I had to look into the future, as if it was a page of a book that was waiting to be touched and turned over. To start fresh, a firm foundation of a new era.

* * *

><p>"So you wanna travel huh?" Joe asked me as we were side by side on the bed that Malarky was on two hours ago, though now it was just Joe and I in the room since the rest of the guys were back in their apartment rooms. The candles were still lit though they are low now, giving the room a dimmed light and an odd sense of warmth filling the both of us. We were both staring at the ceiling, holding hands as out joined hands were on top of Joe's chest. I head was on his shoulder, my red hair cascading down against his jacket and on the mattress.<p>

"I've always wanted to, and since I've already been around Europe, America seems like the better bet." I explained to him, having my other hand rest on his arm that was between us and stay there, rubbing the fabric of his jacket sleeve with my thumb as I watched the high arched ceiling above us.

"What would you wanna see?" Joe asked, his voice filling the room and making it sound heavenly to me.

"New York," I replied, having me smile from the thought, "I'd hate to be the typical tourist, but I would want to see all of it and it's glory. And maybe the Pacific Northwest and experience real rain and real cold."

"What about San Francisco?" Joe questioned.

"Well, of course, since that's where you live and all. I wanna see your house." I explained, having me then feel him wrap his arm underneath me and pull me against his chest, my arms around going around his waist.

"My house isn't that fantastic to see, it's more of a brick house crammed away in the back alley of the city. Not too glamorous." Joe explained to me though I shook my head from hearing the way he spoke about his own home.

"I still wanna see it though." I reminded him, seeing him look down at me as I looked up at him. He was smirking again, having me feel the blush against my cheeks.

"Well, what about your place?" Joe asked me, having me hear the intrigue in his tone as I rolled my own eyes.

"It's practically a farmhouse on the bayou, Joe." I explained to him, hearing him chuckle next to me as we were side by side on the bed, seeing the tinted ceiling above us.

"So we can both agree: we have shitty homes." Joe said in a light tone though I shook my head.

"Don't call them shitty." I scolded him, hitting him lightly on the arm and hearing him laugh from my antics on them, "It would be shitty if we have shitty families. But from what you told me, you don't. I wanna meet your family." Joe went quiet, having me roll over to lay on my stomach, my chin on my hands that were now on his chest. He was watching me from his spot, the smile never leaving his face as he hands went to my back, rubbing my back with his skinny fingers.

"What? You don't want me to meet your family?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head, the smile was infectious to have me smile at him.

"I think they would love you, hands down. You're hotheaded, stubborn, you dig your heels in what you know and what you're good at, and not to mention you're gorgeous." Joe replied, having me shake my own head, but he went on, "I swear, I'm gonna keep saying you're gorgeous until it gets through those red curls of yours. Anyways, I think my mom would make you so much cake that you'll get sick. She tends to do that with any girls I would bring home."

"And how many have you brought home, if I may ask?" I pressed him, seeing him shake his head.

"You will never know." He answered, having me glare at him as he stuck his tongue at me in retaliation.

"You're not being fair here." I teased him, seeing him eye me some more from his spot, my fingers tapping his chest as I waited for him to say something in this peaceful mood.

"What about your family?" Joe asked me.

"I think they could handle you since you are very much a gentleman," I said in a shrug, having me see him bite his lip from hearing the teasing in my voice, "Honestly, my mom and dad are pretty much down to earth, not even stuck up or saint-like. I think my dad would like you, you both would mesh really well. Along with Owen, God would he love to meet you and talk about cars and comics with you."

"I would love to meet them," Joe replied back to me, having me got back to resting my head against his shoulder and the both of us staring at each other, "And who knows, I can meet them sooner than you think. I do want to get their blessing though."

"Blessing?" I asked, seeing him look at me intently.

"For me to marry you." Joe explained some more, his voice was more serious at me. having me then shift so I was on my side facing him. He wanted my parent's blessing to see if it was okay if we got married, something that I would never expect to come from Joe. Not that Joe was no gentleman to begin with, but then again it was still a shock to me. I never would think of them wanting to go that extra mile for me. This could not be a joke, not from him since the look he was giving me was filled with love. He shifted as well, facing me on his side so we were inches apart from each other, almost breathing the same air.

"You want my parent's blessing?" I asked him slowly, seeing him still stare at me as if this was no joke.

"If I'm not going to screw up in one thing in my life, it's going through this whole thing with you, okay?" He asked me, no ounce of teasing there and determination in his face as he watched me carefully, "I'm already trying to not be a screw up as it is, and for me to do this for—" But I instantly had to shut him up by kissing him there, grabbing his face in my hands and feeling him freeze for a moment before responding to me. I wanted to kiss him for multiple reasons: for wanting my parents blessing to marry me, for _still_ wanting to marry me after I broke a man's nose, and just to simply shut him up from talking about how he was too insecure for me. We both were in fear about being too insecure for each other. I kissed him hard, no longer needing to show sweetness to him and I could feel him kissing me back just as hard and lustful.

Within a moment, he grabbed me by the hips, still kissing me and then he roll us over where I was underneath him and he was above me. He threw off his jacket within a moment, almost like a blink of an eye as he then wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up through his kissing, having me now sit on his lap as our make out session was continuing on. One of my hands was back in his brown short locks and the other was on his neck as both of his hands were on my hips, holding me there on his lap and not wanting to let me go. I could feel my hair framing my face and my own heartbeat going into overdrive, but I didn't care at this point since I was too far gone in his kisses and his hold one me to care.

After what seemed like forever, we both pulled away from each other and just looked a teach other. He had swollen lips, his cheeks were red and his breath was already ragged from us going at it. I think I looked pretty much the same. After a pure moment or just looking at once another and drinking in the afterglow of our loving on each other, we both broke out into childish grins and giggled. I felt like I was laughing more than him, though his giggle was softer and more sincere.

"Damn woman, you're going to be the death of me." He said in me in a raspy tone, having me hear him speak for the first time since we started to kiss there on the bed. He then rested his forehead against my own again, his hands on my back and having me feel the fingers through my thin shirt and onto my heated skin, "You have no idea how hard it is for me, to not just tell people about us. It kills me sometimes….not being able to simply hold your hand in public, let alone kiss you because you deserve it." I smiled as he whispered these things against my lips. I only wanted this thing as well, it also made me so sad that I could not publicly kiss him for all the men to see and to be understanding.

"You can kiss me all you want as soon as we go home, anywhere and at anytime," I reassured him, resting a hand on his cheek and rubbing the cheek with my thumb with tenderness, "Though I'll miss the thrill of kissing behind our boys' backs. But it hurts me too…not being able to kiss you in the open."

"And even just to hold you…like this." Joe went on with his woes, having me feel his arms go completely around my waist and trapping me there in his lap, "It's just a bad tease, the worst I have ever felt when I see you right in front of me…and I can't even touch you." I shook my head against his, no longer wanting to hear him say how much it hurt him for not being able to be close to me.

"Hush now, love." I cooed him, pulling him close and rest my head against his and my chin on his shoulder, closing my eyes and the both of us just hugging each other on the bed. We were both worn from the war, almost being kill so many times and having so much emotion held up that it would explode at any moment. We didn't need to do anything else but hold each other and just….breathe.

Somewhere in the apartment building complex, music starting playing softly on a record player, haunting the whole area with orchestra strings and a lovely melody coming through the silence. I smiled, hearing the soft sound of the music filling our room from farther away, hearing it was a French song from Edith Piaf. I only knew one or tow of her songs, but I could translate them all.

"Sometimes I dream that I am in you arms,

and you speak softly in my ears

you say things that make me close my eyes

and I find that marvelous."

I translated out loud in a whisper for only the both of us hear. I could feel him smile against my neck as I went on with the song, having this one moment with Joe and not know what was going to be held next for the both of us. But this was enough for me, enough for me to hold onto until I figured out what my future was going to look like.

"Maybe on day you will return,

I know that my heart waits for you

you can not forget

the past days we spent together

my eyes never stop searching for you

listen well, my heart calls you

we can love each other again

and you'll see life would be beautiful."

* * *

><p>A few more days went by, having us again feel like we were stuck there unless we had an excuse to go back home. There was no green light to leave Germany yet, which meant more waiting and more wondering. Since the war was truly over, why where we still here? I was constantly trying to keep my own mind at ease and away from the future by making myself busy: helping other medics in training since those medics would be transferred over to the Pacific for help there. I was even asked to go there since Medics were very much needed. As tempting as it was, my mind told me not to. I remember the conversation clearly, seeing myself in front of Dr. Kent again as he was explaining the situation with me outside out at base camp, having me hear the soldiers run to and fro and see the tents set up. A German small battalion, all of them were prisoners and waiting orders from their commander, who was also a prisoner.<p>

Dr. Kent was talking to me, having me stare at him and see that he would be willing to make me one of the head Medics in the Pacific since I got both a Bronze Star and was recommended by both Doc and Winters for my work. I was wearing my new uniform: a woman's army jacket with my bronze star on the chest, pencil skirt with tights and heels, my hair in a low bun and my garrison on my head. My eyes then went over to Joe, whom was standing with his own army uniform on and a rifle over his shoulder, the garrison he was wearing had the paratrooper badge on the side. He was watching me, seeing what was happening and knowing that I was being asked to move on with my position. But I looked back at Dr. Kent, who was waiting for an answer.

"I wish to decline, sir." I replied to him, seeing a surprised look on his face.

"Why is that, La Noux? You're one of our best medics." He explained to me.

"And I thank you for that, sir. However, I wish to just go home and start a new chapter with my life. I am thankful and grateful for being here sir, there's no doubt in that. But I just need to be home." I explained softly, seeing him smile and nod his head at me.

"Thank you for your honesty." He replied to me, sounding more genuine than hurt that I refused a position with him.

"Thank you, sir." I replied back to him, then walking away from him and over to Joe, who looked really surprised at me as if I was slapped in the face. I only smiled at him, though he shook his head from what he heard.

"You turned down a promotion?" He asked me, disbelief was in his voice as I just simply shrugged my shoulders, my hands behind my back and really not caring at this point who was watching me smirk at him.

"I have arrangements already that I would hate to break." I explained, seeing him slowly smile from what I was telling him. We had our promises to one another, to go to each other's homes and see what brought each other peace and harmony. Who was I to break it now since the war was already done and over with. I then saw Joe reach into his pocket, shuffling around a bit before pulling something out in his hand. It was a small brass ring, something that looked so simple, but the way he held it made it more magical in my eye. He smiled sheepishly at me as he held it out for me.

"I uh…I got this for you last night with Luz." He said to me, gently grabbing my left hand and slowly slipping it on my finger before I could even say anything about it, "I'm gonna get you a better one when we have the chance back in America, but I just….I don't know. I think I just wanted to give you this as a start." I smiled widely at him, seeing that it was fitting perfectly on my finger and it made me look more official as his soon to be wife. Joe smiled at me, having me really wish that we were alone together again. But this was enough, he wanted me to have this to show that he meant what he's been saying and showing me since the moment he met me.

"This is perfect Joe." I replied back to him, almost not being able to both breathe and say that to him. He just smiled, taking my hand in his and having me see the bronze ring glisten in the sunlight that was high above us. This was our first step, having me only wish that we were back in America now so we can be properly married and start our lives together. But the thought was short lived when we saw two people walking over in our direction. One of them was a regular private, but the other gave me chills down my spine. I never thought I would see his face once more, but there he was. I moved my hand away from Joe as we both watched with cool looks on our faces.

Captain Sobel.

He walked by Winters and Nixon who were in the jeep across from us, the both of them watching Sobel and the private walk by. The private saluted Winters no problem, and he returned it. But Sobel did nothing, still walking and having me see Winters watching him now with Major eyes.

"Captain Sobel." He started.

"Major Winters." Sobel replied, trying to sound civil, but not looking at him.

"Captain Sobel." Winters said aloud, having Sobel finally look over at him, "You salute the rank, not the man." Sobel then, reluctantly and with pain in his face for doing this, saluted him and then stalked off, not even looking at Joe and I as he did this with the private right behind him like a lost puppy. Joe smirked from his spot next to me, though he too was annoyed. I just shook my head from the entire sight.

"What nerve." Joe said to me as we both walked over to the jeep, Joe shrugging off the rifle as we heard the German commander talking to his men in German. I listened, standing next to the jeep with Winters and Nixon.

"Liebgott?" Winters asked aloud as Joe looked over to listen to what they were saying.

"Men, it's been a long war, it's been a tough war," He started translating as the man spoke on to the others, "You have fought bravely, proudly, for your country. You are a special group, who found one another a bond that exists only on combat." Joe leaned against the jeep as he said this, looking on not with disgust, but with content on his face. Winters and Nixon listened too, though Winters felt more moved as I merely felt as though I was hearing something too personal to these men. I never had bad feelings to the Germans, not once. So this felt as though I was intruding on them and their moment together.

"Of shared foxholes, Held each other in dire moments. Have seen death and suffered together. I am proud to have served with each and every one of you, you deserve long and happy lives of peace." Joe finished, having me feel a tear down my own cheek. I was affected by him saying this, of all things. This was the official way to end of the war, at least in my own book: to hear the enemy commander tell the men that they deserve to live and no longer be in fear, that they made their own bonds together and they were brave and true. That was enough for me, to know that I did what I thought was right and I did enough.

I was enough for this Band of Brothers.


	30. Chapter 30

"Come here, boy." I called out to Archer as he ran over to me, a baseball was in his mouth and his tail was wagging back and forth in glee. I giggled from seeing him, bigger than before and looking more like a teenage dog than a puppy. He was leaner now, longer legs but still a young pup in his eyes and face. I was having a solo morning with Archer before I would meet up with the rest of the Easy Company, the sun shining over the mountains and giving us a sense of warmth in the spring. I decided to give Archer some time outside, throwing the ball around with him and getting his legs out to stretch.

After I declined the promotion from Dr. Kent to move to the Pacific, I was waiting to hear when I was going to head home. I knew the rest of the boys were waiting as well since we had nothing else to do. I was mostly waiting to go home to see what kind of life I was going to have with Joe. He was more excited about the both of us getting together once we were on American soil, but we both had to see our own families before we dropped the bomb that was "marriage". Once I told him that, he reluctantly agreed. We were both going to be at our own home for a bit, be with our families, and then meet up and figure out how this was going to work. There was never one ounce of doubt about us being married, that was still solid and happening in our minds. But it was how we were going to get there that was the main obstacle. I would want my family there, of course, and I would think Joe would want his there too. But then who else? I couldn't think of anyone else than all of Easy Company, my brothers so to speak.

"Got get it!" I urged Archer, throwing the baseball and seeing him gallop after it, stretching his legs and barking as he sped along the short grass on the camp. I watched a big grin on my face as I was squatting down on my feet. I was wearing my army shirt and pants, my jacket was off and on the floor since it was so warm out and my hair was down and over my shoulders. I noticed when I woke up that day, I looked so different from when I went into the war four years ago in Camp Toccoa. My hair was longer and brighter from being in the sun, my skin was now touched by scars from the battles along my arms and fingers, my face too looked more worn out and more mature. It was as if I was an innocent child before going into the war and into mass chaos, and now I was a elderly woman with a dark past. I didn't even feel like I was in 27 years old anymore, I felt older and with more burdens.

Archer hopped onto the baseball, grabbing it with his teeth and jogging back to me, dropping it at my feet and having me pet his face and head lovingly. He licked at my face, having me just rub his back as I heard footsteps approaching me and I looked up and over my shoulder. Walking over to me was Nixon who was looking rather content in his walk as he approached me. I got up from my spot, facing him and saluting him before he saluted be back.

"I was looking for you, La Noux." he said to me as I threw the baseball once more for Archer, who ran after it with glee.

"Just sitting here with Archer. He needed some exercise." I explained to him as Nixon watched Archer with a small grin on his face. He always smiled, showing that he had some optimism in his life though we were fighting.

"Well, I was told that you turned down the promotion from Dr. Kent to go to the Pacific as one of the Head Medics." He explained, having me feel a bit of a grimace on my face as Archer ran back over to me with the ball in his mouth, "May I ask why?"

"You may." I retorted at him, grabbed the ball and throwing it again, though this time I threw it pretty far so I can have time to tell Nixon what I was feeling about it. As Archer ran off, I faced Nixon to see him look at me in confusion.

"Sir, I've been through enough when it comes to war. At first I didn't even really think I would be out there on the battle field with you men, only waiting for ya'll on the sidelines for anyone who was hurt. But sir, I had to deal with the defiance of a captain whom didn't see me as a equal because I was a woman. I also went MIA for one whole night and almost got killed alongside Bull, got shot in the head with a bullet but was spared because of my helmet, witnessed a sergeant get shot in the head mere inches away from me, and I fractured a rib because of a grenade that should of killed me." I explained to him in a bold tone, then lifting my shirt slightly for him to see the scar on my stomach along my rib where I was slammed into the tree in Bastogne. Nixon looked, not even caring if this looked awkward for others to see. I lowered my shirt, having me hear Archer run back and drop the ball at my feet. Archer laid down there, taking a break.

"I've been through far too much to go through it again in another place, Sir. I'm flattered and thankful that yourself and Winters consider me a great candidate as a Head Nurse, but I have had enough." I ended with him, my voice was a bit more sincere and less declaration. It was true: I needed a break. I had a nervous breakdown at least three times, had a huge fight with Joe, was traumatized by the concentration camp that we found on accident, and just having blood on my hands too many times made me never want to look at blood again. Nixon watched me as I said this, showing no sign of anger or confusion on his face as I spilled out all that was harboring my heart. I hated saying it to him, but he had to know. After I said it all to him, he only stood there for a moment and just watched me, my hands at my sides and my face showing my tiredness of the thought of being a medic again. He then nodded his head, slowly but surely as he then shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, shifting from one foot to another.

"Well, that is quite a laundry list that you just gave me," He said finally, his voice was light again as I only shrugged my shoulders, "And I would hope that Joe Liebgott would have something to do with you not wanting to go to the Pacific." I said nothing as soon as he mentioned Joe, having me wonder why he would bring Joe into the conversation. Did he know about the both of us? Was he watching from afar?

"Oh, come on, La Noux. By now, at least half of the Company knows about you two and how you both are smitten with one another by now. It's been a good four years, and you're surprised?" He asked me with a smirk, having me shake my head and try to hide the fact that I was beyond embarrassed in the face.

"How long have you known?" I asked him a groan, hiding my face in my hands and hoping to God he was not seeing through my fingers that were sprawled out on my face.

"Long enough, but Winters and I weren't gonna say anything." He replied in a shrug, having me stare at him now with a raised eyebrow.

"Why not?" I asked in confusion.

"Well for one thing we didn't think it would last long between the two of you. Since Normandy, we saw how you two were watching each other, and I knew there was something going on. But we both thought it would be over sometime throughout the war, though we were wrong. Another thing was that it was nothing that was considered against the rules, not to Winters and I anyways." Nixon explained to me, having me watch him intently, "You both were still soldiers, first and foremost. Besides, I thought it was cute." I glared at him then, seeing the smirk back on his face since he made that joke.

"Should I be thanking you then for not getting us in trouble?" I asked him aloud, hearing him chuckle in front of me and shaking his head slowly as he squatted down to Archer, rubbing his head with the grin never leaving his face.

"Don't thank me, Red. Just be glad that we kept our mouths shut the whole time while we were at work in the war." Nixon replied, going back up to my level and then placing a hand on my shoulder, giving me a proud stare like a parent to their child, "Come with me."

"Where are we heading, sir?" I asked him, following him as we starting walking over to a jeep that was parked a bit away. Archer trotted to be next to me, his tongue out as Nixon had a grin on his face. For some reason, I was glad we had that talk about Joe and how he was no mad about it. He knew, along with half of the men, and they had nothing bad to say about it.

"There's a game we're missing out on."

* * *

><p>Nixon and I pulled up in the jeep on a clearing on the other side of camp, having me see that there was a baseball field that was made on the grass, and the Easy Company men were playing on the field. I smiled from seeing the sight, the men laughing and playing baseball as if it was another day in the sun. Though they were wearing their emery uniforms, which consisted of regular shirts and their army pants, they looked like school boys in how they were acting. They were egging each other on, smiling with big grins and the look of innocence on their faces. I wanted to remember this for the rest of my life, since the rest of the memories that I had of them were stained in blood and pain, in mourning and in anger, in lost and tears. But this, what was in front of me, was nothing of those.<p>

I could see Frank at the mound with the bat in hand, Luz with a mitt ready for him to hit the ball, Bull near first base with his cigar, Doc against the fence with his arms crossed, Buck as the catcher's end with a backwards cap on, Joe on the third base line with his lanky figure against the cool sun, and the rest of my brothers were, enjoying their moment together.

When the jeep was turned off, Archer in the back of the jeep barking from seeing the men, I saw a couple of them look over as I was hopping out of the jeep. Nixon got out as well, though some of the men cheered as they saw us.

"Red! Come on, Red! Come play!" Frank said aloud, the others joining in with him by trying to get me to come out. I was still stuck there next to the jeep, just smiling at the sight of my boys there in their own time of happiness. It was Bull who jogged over, his cigar in his mouth and his big grin on his face as he stood in front of me, towering over me and then scooping me into his arms, over his shoulder and having me squeal out in retaliation.

"Bull! I'm gonna hurt you!" I said to him in protest, but I couldn't help but smile at how he was acting as he was walking us back over to the field, the rest of the men cheering from him literally lifting me to carry me to the game. If was like they didn't want me to be left behind: they wanted me to play with them and be a part of their memory.

"Don't fight it, Red." Bull replied back to me, having me hit him on the shoulder as he then placed me back on the ground, having me glare at him with a smirk and he laughed, breathing in his cigar and then having me look at the guys all out on the field.

"Come on, Red. I need backup here on the outfield!" Luz beckoned me, having me roll my eyes from hearing the desperation in his voice.

"Here, take the spare glove." Bull tossed me the glove, though it was bigger than my own hand. I smiled at him, shoving him with my hand in a playful banter as I jogged over to Luz and the others started cheering on Frank to miss. It was a simple moment, a frozen moment in time that we were needing at the end of this journey. As I joined Luz out on the field, looking at each batter going up and trying to run, I felt like a child again playing in the tall grass of Louisiana with the other children. There was nothing bad that was going to touch us, nothing was going to scar us and make us cry or scream. This was the same thing, though we were older and we literally went through hell and back.

I lived in that moment, cheering on the men as they were running the bases and being tagged out with cheers on their tongues. It reminded me of my brother Owen and how he would play with the boys some baseball, I would only watch from afar. For some reason, when we were children, they didn't want a girl to play with them because they didn't think I would be able to handle playing with them. But now, it was different, playing with the army men that I fought to protect for four years. They saw me as equal to them, far beyond that to be fair. I saw myself as nothing more than equal to them since I joined them in Camp Toccoa. So we played, for what seemed like forever in the sun and in the peace that was around us, having me then see Nixon walk over in his uniform and Spiers with him, they both were in their Officer uniforms as the rest of us looked feather grungy and worn down.

When they approached the side of the diamond, we were called to join them at the middle. Luz and I jogged over, having me stand behind him and the rest of the men as Winters looked at all of us, having me see glint of hope in his eyes as he then gave a small smile. We were all on bended knees and bent over, both from playing the game with each other for what seemed like forever and from wanting to know what he had to say to us.

"Got some news." He started, looking at each of us in his uniform, "Today, President Truman received the surrender from the Japanese." It was as if he dropped a bomb on all of us since we were all stunned from the news. I was lost for words, since we were looking at the war with the Japanese in regards to what was left with the war we were in. We were down, but the rest of the world was still fighting. This news was now the end of it all, of all that we went through for the past four years and what I signed up for when I was 20 years old

"War's over." He ended the news, no one was moving from their spot as we were drinking in what we heard. It sounded so simple, yet it was the one thing that we were looking forward to since we came to Europe in the first place. For the longest time, we were waiting to hear those two words and then be filled with joy and relief. But now, being out there in that field and covered in sweat from baseball, that feeling was no longer there anymore. No, it was more sinking under my skin and slowly coming over us, like a blanket we would have over us at night. It took so long for each of us to realize that this was real, that the war _was_ over and we were no longer needed.

"Wow." I heard next to me finally, having me look over and see Luz looking off in a daze, but a big grin was on his face none the less. Something behind his eyes was showing that he was on the brink of tears then, since the news was coming over him and making me want to be in tears then. I wouldn't have blamed him.

"We're going home." He said finally, as if out of breath. I smiled widely at him as he looked over at me, his eyes big with wonder. I nodded my head, seeing him then rush over to hug me, lifting me off the floor as the others were celebrating with one another. We were all beyond glad to be done with this war, the shock was done and the cheers and slaps on the back were happening. I hugged every I could, everyone hugging each other and being so happy and glad.

We all then started jogging back over to the tents, together, still wrapped up in the thought of going home and being safe again. I was next to Luz when I felt Joe grab my hand in his, having me stop and look behind him as he stopped as well, a big grin on his face.

"What is it?" I asked him, out of breath from playing and laughing from hearing the news we were going home. Joe just smiled at me, walking close to me and then having me see that this was happiest he has been in what seemed like forever. Maybe even after he proposed to me in Germany in the apartment.

"I'm just glad we can go home, you and me." He said to me, also out of breath as I saw how handsome he looked in front of me. Something inside of me just had to let go, no longer worrying or caring about anyone else that was watching as I leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth. Joe instantly wrapped his arms around me, holding me in place as he kissed me back, having both of us eyes closed as we kissed on the green grass. This meant that we were going to be going home together, no longer having to sneak around to kiss or hold hands. There was no more fear of one of us behind away from the other, and that made me even happier that the war was ending.

Once we pulled away from each other, I could hear the rest of the men hooting and hollering over what we just did. I should be petrified, since they all saw us kiss right in front of me and no longer hiding, but then again I was just blushing like a mad woman as they all ran over to the both of us. I was greeted by a swarm of men, hugging me and reminding me of the moment I came back from being MIA with Bull back in Holland. It looked like they were glad that we were together, even having me hear catcalls.

"I KNEW you two were together!" Luz joked with me as he pinched my cheek, though I shoved him off of me in retaliation.

"How sappy!" Bull joked along with him as he then hoisted me in the air, having me feel him hold me up with his arm around my legs. It looked like I was floating amongst the sea of men who were still cheering and laughing. A big grin on my face and I just closed my eyes with a sigh of relief on my lips. I was no longer afraid of my worth with these men, since they were all loving on me and wanting me with them. This was going to be hard, to leave them all behind when I would go home. But I found who I belonged to.

My Band of Brothers.


	31. Chapter 31

I sat on my cot of my bed, looking down at the letter in my hands and smiling from what I reading. I was on my cot in the ship that was taking me back home to see my family, in which that made my heart being more fragile since I knew that once I saw their faces, I would break down in tears and cry in joy and happiness. It's been four years since I saw my mother and father, along with Owen. Would they look the same? Would they have gone through turmoil since I talked to them last? But this letter that I got before I got on the ship, it told me all that I needed to know since it was my mother's handwriting and it made me smile just seeing it.

_Marley, _

_We miss you so. I hope this letter gets to you just fine. The spring breeze is coming through the grass field here in Louisiana and it makes me think of you. I remember you as a child running through the tall grass, hiding from us though we could only see your red hair flying in the wind. Whenever I see the grass I think of you and how much you have grown._

_I pray for you day and night, for God to protect you and bring you home soon. Your father is going wonderfully with his fishing, caught a large catch and brought in a good sum of money for the house with some updates. You would be proud of him since he's been working so hard to make the house look wonderful for your return home. I'm keeping busy at the hospital while you're away in Europe, though the rest of the nurses here are wondering how you are. _

_Owen is loving his schooling in Colorado, met a couple of other deaf students there and he made friends with them easily. He misses your terribly, sometimes it pains him to not know when you're coming home. But he's being a good help around the house when he comes home for the breaks from school. He even met someone at the school, her name is Jane. You would like her, Owen brought her home for Christmas break. She's a nice girl in his History class and he taught her Sign Language, and now they're together. I hope you get to meet her, you two would get along just fine. _

_I hope you're safe and away from harm, but I know you're doing a good work there with the men in the army. You're one of the strongest women that I have ever known, and I know you got that from me, not your father. But don't tell him that I said that, or else I won't hear the end of it. You are representing us proudly and without any fail. _

_Come home to us soon, we can't wait to see our beautiful face. _

_With all my love, _

_Mom_

I smiled, folding the letter and placing it against my lips. This was some kind of glimmer of hope that I was having to head home. It was good to see the writing on my own mother, hearing her voice in my head as I read out the words on the paper. She was looking forward to seeing me again, having me see nor feel any kind of negativity or pain from her. I felt bad for not writing to be her the whole time I was in Europe, but there was no time for me to sit down and write to her and tell her all that I went through. She would be floored with all that I went through, wondering why I was still alive since I was close to dying so many times.

There was a knock at my door, having me look up from my letter and from my cot as I saw Joe there at the doorway, smiling at me. I grinned at him, signing _Come In_ him and see him walk into my own living quarters.

"Watcha reading?" he asked me, pointing to the letter. I handed it to him, seeing him open it and look at the letter and I watched him with a small smile on my own face.

"My mom wrote to me, seeing if I was okay," I explained to him as he was reading the letter with his eyes, holding the paper delicately in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees, "She can't wait to see me when I go home."

"I bet." He replied, looking over at me and then pointing to the paper with one of his skinny fingers, "Your mom has pretty handwriting."

"Well, she has to since she's a nurse, having to do paperwork for years." I explained in a light tone, hearing him chuckle as he watched me from next to me.

"So, does that mean you have nice handwriting too?" He asked me with a coy tone on him. I leaned in to kiss him, but stopping right against his lips and almost ghosting a kiss there. This was a distraction for him, since he was concentrating on my lips that were centimeters away from his as I took the letter from his hand within a swift moment.

"You'll have to wait a see." I whispered against his lips, pulling away from him and hearing him groan, both in annoyance and in the mental pain that I did not kiss him there on the cot. I just snickered next to him, folding the letter again and stuffing it in the envelope.

"Quit being a tease, will ya?" He asked me in almost a painful plea, but I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders.

"Why not? It's clearly making me feel good." I replied back to him, seeing the big on his face get bigger as he face me on the cot, sitting Indian Style.

"I never took you as a tease." He countered with me though the grin never left his face. I then smiled back at him, sitting the same way in front of him as well as I folded my hands on my lap, watching him carefully as we were staring at each other.

"I didn't think you would hate it." I said back.

"You think I hate it?" He asked.

"Do you?" I pressed him, seeing him shake his head slowly and slowly take my hands in his. He was holding my hands carefully, as he would always do when we were together having a nice moment together hidden from the rest of the men. But now it was different, now they knew about us and they had no ill feelings about it. So it made me wonder, really wonder.

"Do you mind the boys knowing about us?" I asked him in curiosity, having me see him give me a curious look. I had no idea where he was when it came to the others knowing, if he was afraid and not really liking it since the boys were now going to tease him left and right. I knew how Joe was when it came to teasing, his temper would get the better of him. Although he was getting better with it since we first met, it was still a hesitant thing to tread on.

"I don't mind, since I can give them all a fat lip if they say otherwise. But they don't, I don't think any of them would mind at all." Joe replied back to me, still holding my hands and seeing the hesitance in my own eyes, "Why do you ask? Are they already teasin' ya?" When he asked this, his voice was on the hint of annoyance, as if he was already trying to think of who was teasing me.

"No, no one is," I reassured him, seeing him still stare me and see something was off behind my stare, "I just don't want to be seen as…." I trailed off, not wanting to use a word against me that would make Joe angry with me for using it. Joe realized what I was saying, shaking his head with his smile back on his face and reaching up to touch my bangs in front of my eyes.

"No one thinks of you like that, Marley. We see you as one of us, part of this Company. Nothing like _that_ at all," Joe explained to me, having me watch him as he was pushing my bangs away with his fingers so gently and with love and care, "Do _you_ care if they know about us?"

"At this point, I'm kind of glad that we don't have to tiptoe around them in order to just hold hands," I explained to him as we were both holding hands again and smiling at each other, "It'll just be something I have to get used to. If they're gonna tease me, they're gonna act more like brothers."

"What a pretty picture in my head." Joe grumbled in front of me, having me grin from picturing it in my own head too: all of the Easy Company acting like younger brothers at Joe and I, teasing and calling each other love birds. It was something I both loved and hated: hated since I was never good with being the center of attention, and loved since that was how they loved me.

"But I'm just happy, none the less." I said to him, seeing him bring our joined hands to his lips and kissing the back of my hands in a loving manner.

"Me too, beyond happy," Joe explained, having me watch him from my spot as he held out joined hands against his chest, "And I know for a fact that my mother can't wait to meet you. She's already waiting on pins and needles."

"You told your mother about me?" I asked him in shock, seeing him scoff at me playfully.

"Of course I did. I had to tell her about the beautiful redhead from Louisiana that took my breath away." He explained to me in his sweet tone that made me glare at him since I knew he was teasing me with his words. He chuckled from seeing me glare at him.

"And she wants to meet me?" I asked him, still in disbelief that his own mother would want to meet me.

"Yeah, she does. She is convinced that you can bring me back from the road to hell that I am on." Joe replied, having me grin at him as I was still thinking about meeting his mother. I was scared, not thinking that I was pretty enough, or smart enough for her. Then again, this was Joe, of all people for me to fall for. Joe saw the hesitance in my eyes, squeezing my hands in his that were still against his chest.

"Hey." He called to me gently, snapping me back to reality as I looked at him. He leaned in, kissing my gently on the lips finally after me teasing him and the both of us being so close together. I smiled through the kiss, when he pulled away he showed a huge grin on his own face to have me see the warmth there and the constant joy that he was known for.

"She's gonna love you for you, okay? I love you for you, so that's what matters, okay?" He asked me, his voice was gentle now in my living area between the both of us. I smiled back at him, no longer living in the fear of meeting his family whom already knew about me. I nodded my head at him, the warmth between us was there again.

"Okay."

* * *

><p>There was nothing but pure giddiness in our side of the mess hall of the ship as we were sailing back home to America. After receiving the news, we stayed the night in Germany and then early in the morning got back on the ship that would sail us home. We were no longer needed, as was the rest of the American Soldiers all over the world since there was no more war to fight. All of the Easy Company men were already planning on what they were going to do as soon as we touched soil: going out for drinks and even getting our hands on things we could of never afford before we went into the army. At this moment, we were about a couple of days away from reaching America, still on the high seas and just counting down the hours instead of days until we reach that good old soil again.<p>

I was just enjoying the moment with the guys, Joe and I sitting next to each other and hearing their stories on what they were venturing off to do. It was already night time on the ship, and the other companies that were with us in the ship were already gone to bed and we were the last to stay up. Even though we still had food on our plates, none of us were eating because we were simply excited to just be away from the war.

"An actual American burger, that's the first thing I'm getting my hands on!" Luz said aloud in a gleeful tone across from me, having the whole table laugh and agree with him as he went on, "And then, while eating my burger and having a ice cold beer to wash it down, I'm gonna watch a John Wayne movie!"

"You would!" Frank commented to him, "I bet you fifty bucks that Luz would marry the guy if he wanted to." Bull shook his head with his grin on his face from the comment, as I was giggling in my spot, since it sounded like something that Luz would do.

"Are you suggesting that I am some kind of fruit, sir?" Luz asked him with his own John Wayne accent , the rest of us giggling in laughter as he made the John Wayne face as well, a smirk on his smile and his eyes looking more like a movie star then before.

"I'm sure gonna miss your accents there, Luz." I reminded him, seeing him wink at me as he was still laughing from his own antics. He then leaned over to me, having me see the twinkle in his eye that he would use every once in awhile when he was ready to get himself in trouble and have fun with it.

"Then let's go off together, you and me. Forget the lanky Jew on your left there." He teased with a more flirty accent on his lips, Joe eyeing him and having me see him about to give him a snarky reply back as Luz looked over at me with his grin never leaving his face.

"Oh, I don't think that would be wise on my part, Luz. You of all people should know why I can't say yes." I reminded him, seeing him instantly look down at my left hand, seeing the brass ring. I just grinned at him, knowing that he was there with Joe when it came to getting the ring for me. He just smiled at me widely, seeing my playful side though I stayed back with Joe who slung an arm over me and pulled me closer to him slightly. I leaned into him as the other men kept talking about what they were going to do next, having me look over to the very front of the mess hall and see Buck walk over there, his tin can in hand and his signature smile on his face to show off his bright blue eyes.

"Easy Company!" He called out, having all of us stop our talking and look over at him as he was right in front of us, as if he was making a huge speech for all of us to drink in.

"Before we even get off this God forsaken boat and head back to our shitty lives, compared to the lives we had for the past few years," Buck started, hearing the men cheer with him when he called out lives at home shitty, "I think we should have a good moment of recognition for the fair few in this Company that have risen above and beyond when it came to surviving this Goddamn war." The men agreed with him, having me smile with Joe's arm still next around my shoulders.

"First, I wanna call out the infamous George Luz, "He started as we all watched him get up from his spot and stand at his spot at the table, the rest of us cheering with him and slapping him on the shoulder, "For making us laugh in times when we just wanted to throw the towel in. Not to mention knowing how to do a great accent of Major Horton to get Sobel in trouble." We all snickered from the thought. Luz was looking rather shy and out of his own element then when the incident with Sobel was mentioned. But he smiled none the less, his hands in his pockets and looking like a shy boy in front of a group of girls.

"Thank you for the laughs and the light-hearted jokes that made our days a bit brighter and less of a pain, George Luz!" We all raised our own tin cans to him, the men cheering for him once more as he looked over at me with his big grin on his face. I winked back at him, giving him a taste of his own medicine as he sat back down on the bench.

"Next one on my list to embarrass: Denver the Bull Randleman." Buck went on, all of us chanting "Bull!" over and over until he reluctantly got up from his spot. He looked like a giant from his position at the stool when Buck continued, "If there is one man in our Company that can literally survive any kind of hell given to him, and still have a smirk on his face and a nice cigar, it's this man right here." We all smiled and nodded in agreement as Bull only smiled from his spot, reaching down to grab his own cigar from the table top and placing it in his mouth as an act of defiance. It made me smile so big from seeing him do this as Buck kept talking and raising his own tin can in his hand.

"To the infamous Bull that never knows the meaning of defeat when it comes to battle: To Bull!" He honored Bull, the rest of us doing the same as Bull only shook his head with a big grin on his face. Once he sat back down, we all took another drink from our tin cans as Buck took in a deep breath from the front of the mess hall.

"This next one goes to two people actually," Buck explained, having us all watch him and have me confused as to who he was talking about when he looked more serious than he did before with Luz and Bull, "These two are the reasons why we are still alive and kicking today. If it wasn't for them running towards the bullets, taking their own share of bloodshed and wounds, some of us would not be there today and going home. I don't think we could have had a better team than the two we had these past four years: Eugene Roe and Marley La Noux." I was quiet from what I heard, since Buck called me out in front of the whole Company and the rest of the men were cheering so loud that I would think that the rest of the men would hear in the ship. Doc and I, sitting side by side, looked at each other to see if we were going to stand up. But then I felt Joe squeeze my shoulder, the cheering from the other men was continuing on as I looked at him, seeing him smile and nod his head at me to stand up. Doc and I reluctantly stood up, side by side and having me see the sea of eyes on the both of us with grins and clapping.

I was never one to be in the limelight, not like this. From what I saw next to me, Doc was completely out of his comfort zone and not longer feeling safe and sane since he too was being praised in front of the whole Company. But for me, hearing people cheer for me and show me their own appreciation for how I was protecting them in the battles, it was something I was still trying to get used to. I hated getting this kind of attention, it seemed too much and not right.

"These two are the heart of this Company, whether they like to admit to or not," Buck said in such a light tone that I wanted to blush in front of all the men, "They stuck by us and protected us from dying at the hands of the enemy, and they are the bravest in the Company since they are the ones running to the danger than away from it. I can firmly say, with all my heart, that these two are the true heroes in the Company." Buck ended on such a sincere tone, having me smile widely at him and see Doc do the same. I wasn't going to cry in front of the men, though I could feel the tears about to come over me. But I was so still from hearing him say that to everyone, and not even show any kind of joke in his tone since he did that to Luz and Bull.

"So let's give them a proper salute, boys." Buck called to all the man, having me see them all stare at me the both of us now with sincere smiles and warm eyes, "To Doc and Red: the real heroes in this Company who asked for nothing in return but our loyalty. And they have it, to the very end and beyond. Red and Doc!" He ended, having me see all of the men slowly salute the both of us, showing the seriousness of the situation as we were frozen there, standing in the sea of men that were giving us respect. I didn't deserve this, not in my own eyes. But they saw me as worthy enough for a salute, since I have done so much for them as did Doc. We did nothing at first, just watching in pure awe and not knowing what to do with my own hands. I even looked down at Joe, who was smiling at me with a loving smile that was only meant for me, saluting me from his spot and showing me that he too thought of me as worthwhile.

It all seemed like a dream, a bad dream that I was going to wake up from: All of Easy Company saluting me in silence and showing me respect. Doc took my shaky hand in his, having me finally look over at him and see him smile at me, showing me that he too was giving me the respect that the boys were giving. I wanted to show him the respect he deserved as well since he seemed like he deserved it more than me. He was the true doctor between us, having me pale in comparison.

"You guys are all ridiculous," I said aloud to the group of men who lowered their arms finally after holding them up for awhile. They all grinned, hearing my voice crack from my emotions coming over me, but I tried to hold it in for the sake of the men not wanting to see a weeping woman in front of them all, "But I wouldn't trade any other group of men for the likes of ya'll." They all beamed at me, having me see that they knew it was true. Not one person in this Company was on my bad side, not at this point.

"And we would't trade any other woman for you, Red." Luz replied back to me in a warm tone and a big grin on his face, having me then hear the rest of the men cheer for me as the mess hall was filled with joy again. I just smiled, amongst the sea of man and still holding onto my best friend's hand for dear life. Doc hugged me then, having me hold him close with both arms around him and feeling his love pour into my own.

"I wouldn't trade anyone else for you." Doc whispered in my ear amongst the cheering of the men, having me press my head against his. This was beyond enough for me, at the end of all things, to hear that the men wanted me and no one else next to them as their fellow comrade and soldier in the war. This was what I was looking for, from the first day that I came to the army. I was searching for acceptance.

And I found it.


	32. Chapter 32

As I took one step off the boat and onto American soil, it felt as though a huge weight was taken off my shoulders, having me feel as though I could finally breathe again. America, it looked the same when I left it last years ago, but it also looked different. There were no jeeps, no shouting for help or of orders, not even gunshots were heard. Just buildings and people chatting with one another. I felt so out of place there, seeing my comrades go off home left and right around me. It didn't feel right, it felt like I was punched in the stomach. But I knew this was going to happen, and I dreaded it.

Going home.

As Easy Company was leaving one by one, I got their addresses and numbers so I could call them in the future, which they all gave me willingly and with haste. With every man leaving me and going on the train, my heart was slowing hurting as every man left me in the train station. Archer sat at my feet, and with every goodbye was a rifle of his hair from every man whom considered Archer a member of our company as well as I. My own train was the last to leave, along with Doc since we were both going to travel together. Luz was the first to go, hugging me tightly and kissing me on the head before looking at me square in the eye, his grin never leaving his face.

"You better come and visit me, or else I'll go John Wayne on your ass. And take care of the scabber here, don't let him out of your sight." He warned me, having me grin at him.

"You bet your sweet ass I will." I reassured him, getting one last wink from him before he hopped on his train. Bull was next, giving me a massive hug that would lift me off my feet in the middle of the station and I giggled in delight. He was sore to leave me alone since there has been some of friendship over the both of us since Holland and going MIA together. We both had more respect for each other since we hid in the barn late into the night. Bull ruffled my hair, having me promise that I would go see him on his farm in Arkansas. It was still a shock that he lived on a farm and was a farm boy, when all I saw in him and how he carried himself was a solider and a giant amongst mere mortals.

Webster came next, giving me more of a sincere hug and a gentler embrace than the others who were giving me hugs that felt like brotherly hugs. But with Webster, the scholar that always had a kind heart to others around him and was hardly brash with me compare to the boys, my heart especially broke for him.

"You better get that diploma, Webster. I can't wait to read your book when it's ready," I explained to him as he grinned down at me, the face was never ceasing to be handsome and kind with his blue Irises and smooth jawline, "Can I read it?"

"I'll send you one of the first copies." He promised, having me feel him kiss my forehead before hoping on his own train. Buck was next, giving me a hug that made me see him more like my crazy Uncle than ever as he was heading out west. He said goodbye to me, calling me Princess and having me shove him playfully before he got on his own train. Which left me with the two people that were there with me: Joe and Doc.

Joe's train pulled up, having me stand next to him on the platform with his bag over his shoulder with the strap on and his hand holding onto my own for dear life as he was looking at the train like it was sending him to his death. Doc was waiting for me away from the both of us, sensing that we needed a moment alone with just the two of us before Doc and I would go off together on our own train. I hated this too, not wanting to miss another moment with Joe but knowing that this was going to have to happen.

"Talk me out of gettin' on this train," Joe said to me in a low tone, but I shook my head as we both watched the train coming to a slow stop, "Tell me to stay here with you and not leave you here."

"You have to go, Joe." I pressed him, seeing him close his eyes with pain there on his face mapped out perfectly, "You need to go home and see your family."

"I don't wanna leave you," he said through gritted teeth, my hand against me was squeezing now so tight I thought I was going to leave him a bruise against his skin, "I almost lost you so many times…"

"You're not gonna loose me," I reminded him softly, though I too was trying to hard not to lash out at the pain that I was feeling inside of me from the thought of him leaving me for mere moments, "I'm not going to be in danger any time soon. This is different."

"Is it?" He asked his low tone was now on the verge of tears, having me see the same face he had when he saw all of the prisoned Jews right before we saved them.

"Joe." I finally said softly to him, having me watch him with my eyes as Joe finally looked over at me. I saw it: pain. Pain was all over his face, all over his body and all over his eyes as he looked down at me.

"You need to go home and be with your family," I reminded him again, seeing that he was about to argue with me, "This doesn't mean though that we are not keeping our ends of our bargain, remember? We will be together, for the rest of our lives. Okay?" He was still in pain, I could see it in his face and eyes for just the thought of leaving me, only for a mere moment. But then he looked softer then, much softer to me as I laced our fingers together.

"You better not break that promise with me, alright La Noux?" He asked me, his voice was breaking slowly and he was trying to be cocky with me, though he hated this as much as I did. I could feel it: a tear going down my cheek as I smiled weakly at him. He then pulled me into his arms, my head against his neck as I clung onto his arm that was draped in front of me, never once showing tat he wanted to let go. He kissed my head over and over, the two of us holding each other there as if we were already lovers about to let the other go.

This was far too much of the both of us, since we've been together and around each other for four years now. Is this was Love does to two people? it drives them do close to one another that the mere though or one leaving the other for just days if not weeks felt as though they were being stabbed in the heart? Was this what my mother and father felt when I left them to go into war? I was feeling it then too, leaving Joe for a mere moment in time. He pulled away from the hug we were sharing, resting his forehead against my own and having me breathe him in one last time before he would go back home to California.

"It's just a few weeks, okay?" I asked him, seeing him nod his head at me before leaning in to give me a kiss. A few weeks would be hell for me since I was so used to seeing him constantly with the men. It was almost like I was going through a withdrawal, a bad one that would make me depressed. His kisses were going to have to be engraved onto my lips for the time being until I see him again. As we kissed there, as hopelessly romantic as it looked, he framed my face once again with his hands and held me there, pressing every kiss against me as if he was afraid he was no longer going to breathe. I did the same, since I loved him too much to just push this aside.

With one more kiss to give him, I showed him the sign for _I love you_. He smiled as I made him do the sign with his fingers, then watching him look out the window of his train showing me the same sign with a big grin on his face. I grinned back, signing it back to him and thinking to myself:

I'm gonna marry him.

* * *

><p>Doc and I took the same train from the station that we were dropped off at, heading to Louisiana. It was hard to see the others head off to their own homes. Although we gave each other contact information, it was still painful to watch them go. They were my brothers after all, and I knew they considered me a sister. But Doc and I stuck together on the train, most of the time just sitting in silence with one another and watching the scenery go by. As the familiar willow trees and tall grass came into view, I felt the tightness in my chest again, since he would get off the train two stops before me.<p>

"Tell me about your mom and dad." I said to him as he had his head rested on my shoulder, our feet propped up on the seats in front of us since we were alone in out own carriage on the train. Archer was asleep next to Doc's leg, his head propped up on his thigh and looked rather peaceful. The sun was tinted gold on the low hills of Louisiana as we were getting close to his drop off.

"My mother's gentle, she reminds me of Georgia," Doc explained to me as he wrapped his arm around my own and looking in front of him as I was looking out at the scenery, "My father, very religious and hardheaded. He doubted me being a medic and he didn't think I was good enough for it. I worked for him with the oil rigs when I was enlisted."

"I bet he'll be proud of you now." I reassured, feeling him smile against my shoulder.

"I hope so, _gingemb_re_." _He replied back, "It's going to be weird going back there, it won't feel right."

"Feel right?" I questioned him.

"Well, I have to get used to the fact that I'm not going to be out on the line anymore," Doc explained, having me think about it even more, "That I won't be saving lives every day and running around for my life. It's going to be…unusual for me to get used to." I stayed quiet some more, having me realize that it was going to be the same for me as well. Was I ready enough to get through what was going to come ahead of me? Was I strong enough?

"Hey." I heard next to me, having me look over to see Doc watch me now with worried eyes. I was too off with my own thoughts to see that he was looking at me and seeing that I was scared.

"You gonna be okay, going home?" He asked me, having me shake my head slowly.

"I don't know, Doc. It's going to be hard for me since I'm so used to the war now." I explained to him, the sound of dreariness in my voice, "It'll be different, very different."

"You're gonna make it." Doc reminded me, having me watch him intently as he sat up finally next to me, "You're stronger than you think."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better." I argued with him, thinking that he was only trying to help me out with what I was feeling.

"I'm serious, Marley." He went on, using my real name then, "You have never crumpled in defeat before when it came to what you know and what you're good at. And what you _are_ good at, is being driven." He was giving me one of his serious stares now, and I could only muster up the strength to give him a smile to show how much he meant to me. I grabbed his hand and held it tightly with my own, feeling the rough skin that was rough because of countless times he saved lives and worked on others.

"You have been a wonderful and great friend to me, after all these years in the army. I'm glad to have met you, and I want to make sure we stay friends, okay?" I asked him aloud, suddenly thinking that it was silly for me to ask that of him. But he then smiled widely at me, squeezing my hand. I loved seeing that smile, it reminded me of my own brother and how much joy he would have when he smiled. It made me wonder then, if I have never have fallen for Joe, would I have fallen for Eugene Roe? I was just as devoted to him as a friend, stuck behind him in every manner of speaking, and we worked together very well. A part of me thought it would have been possible since I did love him. I loved Eugene in such a manner that we would be devoted to each other. I just loved Joe in more of a romantic way than I did with Eugene. What he said next to me, while we were both sitting on the train heading back to out home, made me wish that we wouldn't ever be apart again, since I considered him my best friend.

"We're gonna remain friends for the rest of our lives."

* * *

><p>Archer and I stood right in front of my home: such a unique word to say since it didn't feel like home to me. I was back in New Orleans, and after walking the streets of the busy city with Archer in leash, I felt as though I was going through another foreign city back in Europe. But I grew up here, I know these walls and these buildings since I was a mere child. How was it then, that I felt out of place here? I remember walking down these streets on my way to the same train station that I was once at, on my way to the army and to a new adventure away from the world I knew. This was no longer a familiar world, this was different for me. Why did it feel this way? I breathed in the same smells of the restaurants and pubs that I knew, heard the same music and felt the same hot sun. But I felt out of place, out of my own element as I walked on with Archer next to me.<p>

I was now in front of my home: A medium sized farmhouse that was white, but had looked like it has seen better days. The large willow tree in the front years where there was a tire swing my dad hung up when I was 3, the porch with a swinging bench swayed back and forth slightly with the sweet breeze that was coming through. I looked at this home, the very home I was birthed in, and I didn't feel happiness or joy that I was safe. I felt…confusion.

Was this my home now?

The front door opened, having me hear the creak of the screen door open as my own mother came out to see me. I smiled at me, not knowing what else there was to do as she stood on the porch. She looked the same since I saw her four years ago: a heart shaped face and a beautiful smile that made me realize that I _was _home. I dreamt of her voice singing to me, hearing it in my head in both times of peace and times of fear. And here she was, looking at me as if I was a ghost right in front of her and then a smile breaking out on her face.

"Marley." She breathed out, the accent ringing in the setting sun as I felt more tears coming down my face then. My mother broke into a run, hugging me close in her arms and I hugged her face, missing her hugs more than ever then. She sobbed into my uniform jacket, having me feel the tears against my skin and her hold on mine was so tight that I couldn't breathe. But I hugged her back, so glad that I was back with my mother as I heard the door opening and closing again.

I looked up, beyond my mother's shoulder and I saw both my father and brother there, watching us with big grins on their faces. My father looked worn out from all his time on the sea, more tan and rigid in his stance. But my brother, he was the one that grew up with a more mature face and wiser look in his eyes. He bolted from the porch, running over to me as I was finally being released from our mother. He hugged me too, almost knowing me off my feet and having me finally smile for the first time. He pulled away after a good moment or two, looking at me up and down and then being able to sign to me.

_I'm so glad you're home. I've missed you._ He signed to me in a fast pace, having me nod my head and see my father walk down slowly, still having his own smile on his face.

_I've missed you too, you look good_ I signed back to him, hearing him chuckle as he framed my face to kiss my head. It was good to see my brother's face, having me miss him and signing to him on a daily basis. He was my best friend, and still was. I hugged my father gently, feel him stroke his fingers in my hair as he would do when I was little. Seeing my family there, hugging me close and telling me that they were glad I was back safe and sound, I though I felt safe again and no longer needing to be filled with fear.

But that night was the first of many nights that were filled with turmoil and nightmares. After I was brought back into the house, I was greeted with a big dinner that had all of the Louisiana fixings and dishes that I talked about with Doc so many times. And as we talked about the things that has happened in the past four years, my parents filling me in with all that they have done and my brother signing to me all about his classes, I thought it would be easy to get back into the swing of things. But even after the dinner was served and I was brought back into my old room, It still felt out of place for me to be at.

I woke up in the middle of the night, the sounds of the men and the battle were haunting my dreams and I woke up screaming. The images were real, the voices of the men crying out for help were real, and the feeling of bullets across my face were real. It was never going to end, and as I sat up in my bed from my first of many nightmares, it was sinking low in my stomach and in my brain.

This was the start of my healing. And I hated it.


	33. Chapter 33

"I'm worried about her, _Cheri_._" _My mom was talking to my father now as my brother and I sat side by side out in the front of the house, on the porch and my brother holding my hand tightly in his. My head was on his shoulder, staring out at the bayou in front of me and the dirt road that curved into the main area of town. I said nothing, but my own mind and heart was breaking down piece by piece as my brother stayed close by me after yet another nightmare that plagued my mind and gave me no sleep. It's been a week.

A week of hell.

Ever since coming home, I've been plagued with the sights and sounds of war that would come into my head when I would close my eyes. Everything made me think of a war again, even just washing the dishes and hearing the knives clunk to the floor made me think of gunfire, having me freeze in my spot and shove my hands over my eyes in pain. I could still hear them, all of them, dying around me and me not being able to help them. I could hear their screams, the pain they were going through when they lost an arm or leg, the screams of agony and for help when I could not do a thing about it. It was making the concept of sleep a chore more than a luxury.

From the moment that I came home I would wake up screaming, seeing certain battles in my dreams all over again and thinking that they were so real. My parents would barge in, thinking that I was in some kind of pain. But they watched me as I was in tears, clutching the bed sheets underneath me in a death grip and a cold sweat on my face and body and my back arched from the bed. It must have looked like I was having a seizure, but if only that was the case. I was still haunted from all that I witnessed and experienced back in Europe. All of the bad things were flooding through me: witnessing Grant being shot, Bull killing the German in front of me with his bayonet, almost dying from a grenade in the cold winters of Bastogne, every prisoner that I saw in the concentrate camp that we discovered, Franklin and his bony body though he showed a bright smile, almost dying at the hands of a German Solider after mere hours of dropping into Normandy. It was all too much, and I thought I would have enough of it. But it was still pounding away at me, like a hammer against my head and never letting me rest and let me have peace. Even eating was hard for me, since my now stomach was not used to the New Orleans meals my mother would make. I found myself not being bale to hold down any meals anymore, loosing weight and becoming more like the undead and throwing up after every meal. It was hell, and I wanted out so bad.

I tried to think of how to make it better, picturing the Easy Company men in my mind and their smiles that brought me joy. It worked for a moment: Luz and his jokes that were hilarious, Bull and his easy smile with his big stature, Doc and his genuine closeness with me and how he spoke French just to calm me down, and of course Joe.

Everything about Joe was bright to me: his voice, the smile he only showed me when we were either alone or in a crowded room, the way his lips felt against my own and made my own mind go blank through his kisses, his hands against my own and my skin, it was all something that I ached for. Joe would be my sense of healing since he was always the one out of the whole Company who truly saw me at my highest and lows. I missed him; just thinking about him burned a bigger hole in my heart. I should have known how bad I was suffering from the war, and the fact that I cannot run to him and hug him just to make it all melt away, that was worse. Was he suffering too? Hell, was anyone else from Easy suffering like I was? Or was I the only one?

Archer would follow me wherever I went. My family adopted him in as our pet, though Archer was more prone to be with me than the others. He warmed up to them though, especially Owen whom he would snuggle with behind my back. I was just glad that I was not going to loose Archer, since he was another positive reminder of the war. He got me through rough nights, even the ones when I was not talking to Joe. He was a sense of normalcy for me then, but now it was harder since even a dog could be help with the nightmares and the stress that was coming through me.

It's been one week, though it's felt more like a decade as I drifted from day to day as if I was a ghost in my own home. Images flooding behind my eyelids made me hard to just breathe some days. Most of the time I sat on the porch, staring at the distance and thinking that I was going to wake up and be back at the war again. At first my mother and father were hesitant, knowing that I was going to go through _some _kind of pain and drawback, but this was far worse for them to see. My brother could only watch me as I would sob in my father's arms in the wee hours of the morning, having me see the pain on his own face. He would be in the same place as I if he wasn't deaf and he was accepted in the army. Did he know that himself?

That afternoon Owen had an arm wrapped around my shoulder, his other hand holding my own as we just sat there on the porch, watching the sun sink down and saying nothing. Archer was asleep on the porch, head on his front paws and snoring. I had bags under my eyes, my hair was growing back to it's original length I had before I left for Camp Toccoa, but it was now in knots and not kept. I was wearing one of my nightgowns, not wanting to change out of it as I heard my parents walking in the house in hushed whispered and concerned tones.

"She's suffering right in front of us." My mother said in a worried tone, having me hear her heart break.

"All she needs right now is the time to heal, _cheri_." My father reassured her in a soothing tone.

"No, that's not what she needs." My mother argued, having me blink once in my brother's arms as he hold on his tightened.

"You need to let her breathe, she's trying to find herself again." My father kept saying to my mother, but I heard her slam her foot on the wooden floor beneath her in retaliation.

"She is not the same daughter we lost four years ago. She is not the same, you and I know that. What we have now, is a broken soul that we cannot repair." My mother explained in a bold tone, having me close my eyes and cry on the swing, having me see one of my tears hit my brother's shirt and he pulled my chin up to look at him. I watched him with glossy eyes as he smiled at me, the kind of smile that showed that he knew my pain and was going to suffer with me. Using one hand, as the other was still holding my shoulder to keep me near him, he signed to me smoothly.

_I can never know what you went through._ He signed to me showing in his face the pain that he was feeling through me. _ But I want you to tell me everything._

_I don't think I have the strength to tell you._ I confessed to him through my shaky fingers, having me see him catch my fingers in his spare hand to stop me from signing anything else. He shook his head at me, a stern look on his face as I then saw him do something fascinating. He has only done this one or twice in his life, when he was moved by something so big that he and no choice but to do it. I almost sobbed from this action.

"You're strong enough." He said to me in a bold tone, having me smile at him as more tears were coming down my face. Rarely would Owen speak, and when he did it was huge in our house. I had no choice but to go through it with him now; tell him all that I did what I saw. He smiled at me, nodding at me as I then took in a deep breath, though my lungs were in pain from screaming so much from my nightmares.

So I told him, everything that happened and all that I witnessed, both the good and bad. I signed slowly, showing it in my face the good things with a smile or two and the bad things with frowns and pain in my face. There was so much that I told: the prison camps, the grenade mishap in Bastogne, the night I went MIA with Bull, the French family I saved in Carentan, and other things. Owen watched, not saying a word as I signed to him every person and how they were different and kind to me. He smiled when I told him about Luz and Bull, even about Toye and all of the men's antics while we were in the war.

He watched in wrapped attention as I then talked about Joe. I explained how we met and how our relationship formed from a mere friendship to actual love for one another. But I went on to tell him how we fought and then made up again, though it was hard for me to tell them that. Lastly, I explained our love for one another and how much I loved him, seeing them then look at the brass ring I was still wearing. I never took it off, not once. It was a symbol for me to remember Joe and his promise to me: the one silver lining in this whole shit hole of a situation.

_I wanna meet him._ He signed to me finally after I told him all that I wanted to say. I gave him a confused look, seeing him shrug his shoulders at me.

_Do you? _I signed back with a hint of confusion on my face. He made a fist and moved it up and down, the sign for Yes.

_He's important to you, very important. He loves you, and I can tell you love him. That's one thing about this war that I would want to hold on, wouldn't you?_ He signed to me with a raised eyebrow, having me only smile softly at him and nod my head. My brother, though he was younger than me, had times where he was wise beyond his years. He knew more about me than I thought I did, and I was forever thankful for him in how he would accept my suffering and want to take care of me.

_Does mom and dad know about him?_ He asked me with his fingers, having me shake my head and hear him scoff at me.

_What?_ I questioned with a shrug of my shoulders.

_You're going to have to tell them both some time, since they are worried about you and if you're going to keep suffering._ Owen explained to me with a stern look back on his face, having me watch him intently as he went on.

_You at least have to tell them both about Joe, you owe them that. They'll understand about what happened to you, Marley. You have to trust them with that._ I looked away from him at the sunset that was in front of me. A part of me was afraid to tell them about what I saw and did in the war, since they would flip out from knowing that I was close to dying plenty of times. Would they be proud of that? That their daughter was about to die because she made stupid decisions once or twice while over there? And what about me telling them about Joe? Did I even know what their thoughts were on the fact that not only did I want to marry a man they haven't met yet or gave approval or, but that he was also a Jew? Would they hate that? What was I going to do? I sighed, closing my eyes again and feel Owen holding me close once more as our discussion was over.

I had to tell them.

* * *

><p>I sat in the tire swing in front of my house in a sunny Sunday afternoon, resting my head on the top of the tire as I was slowly swaying back and forth in the air. The air itself was still and soothing, yet I was no even close to having a soothing mind since I haven't slept in days. I only stared ahead, saying nothing and doing nothing but swaying in the tire swing in one of my summer dresses. My hair was down past my shoulders, wavy and flying in the wind that was coming up from under the trees and through the bayou. My bare feet were gliding over the grass with every sway. There was nothing that was helping me cope with what I was suffering. I tried so hard to sleep, so hard to forget all of the nightmares that were coming back to me. But nothing was working. Even just playing with Archer was not helping. He was currently under the willow tree near the roots that were digging into the earth, gnawing on a bone that I gave him from the leftovers that I once again threw up.<p>

"I remember when you asked me to put this tire swing up." I heard next to me, having me look over with my eyes and not move my head. It was my father, whom was standing next to me with his hands in his pockets and looking off in the distance as well, but having a soft smile on his face. I've missed that smile, it reminded me of my childhood.

"You were three years old, a skinny little thing with flaming hair," My dad went on with his smile never leaving his face, "As I recall you begged and begged for a tire swing, for almost two weeks you pleaded with me. Now your mother, God Bless her, she forbad me from getting you one. But who was I to go against a beautiful little girl like you?" He stroked my cheek, having me smile against his finger as he rang his fingers in my locks.

"After I got this thing on, you would swing for hours and hours on end, day after day when you came home school. You broke your arm on this when you were 5, and I remember you being on this thing when we told you that you were going to have a baby brother." My father went on with his reminiscing, having me see him finally look over at me and gave a small smile on his face again. I didn't move, but he did as he placed his hand on my cheek to feel my cold cheek against his calloused hand.

"It brings me sadness to see you on the tire swing and not be filled with joy." He confessed to me, having me watch him with my eyes as my hands were still clutching the rubber underneath me, "And you were never one to show sadness or pain."

"It's just hard, papa." I explained to him in a trained tone, having me see him watch me with an intense look on his face.

"Then you must tell me why it is so hard, _fille._" my father urged me, having me close my eyes and squeeze the rubber from underneath me more in order not to cry in front of him and not loose it all over again.

"I don't know where to start…" I gave some pathetic excuse, but I then saw my father walk over to stand in front of me again. He was looking down at me with such pain in his eyes from seeing me in pain. I could see what the years of being on a boat did to his face and his body stance: he was a fisherman through and through. The tan on his skin, multiple scars from the accidents he's harbored and endured, the lines to show the stress not bringing enough bread on the table. He was still handsome to me, beyond so.

"You need to start at telling us all that is haunting you," He explained to me in a serious tone, having me watch him carefully, "We are concerned about you and how you are not the same daughter we had when you left us four years ago. Your mother and I want to help you, but you must help us by talking to us." I knew he was right, very much so since he was concerned about me. Everything that was holding me back from telling him was no longer there, all of the walls I had up with my mother and father were crumbling down now and I was now ready to tell him. But where was I going to start?

"I just…" I started, taking in a shaky breath before finally getting it all of me within one breath and one swift of tears upon my cheeks, "I can't sleep anymore because I see the faces of men who died around me. I can't eat because I'm not used to real food anymore, and I get sick from smelling something mom makes, and I can hear the screams of the soldiers around me dying and I can't do anything about it." By this time I was crying in front of him, silent and big tears were coming onto the tire swing as I was shaking from my crying.

"I can still feel the blood of the men, all on my fingers and face when I look in the mirror. I almost died plenty of times over there, papa. But now it's the same thing, over and over when I close my eyes and when I have a moment alone. I can't escape from it, never." By this time, he was squatting to be at my level and running his fingers over my hair over and over to soothe me. I saw how sad he looked from seeing me break down in front of him. As I did with Owen, I told him all that happened. he listened through every turmoil that I told him, not speaking or interrupting as I then told him about the prison camps and how I found the poor men there. The more I told them, the more I can see it in my head and it made me weep even harder. This was good for me to voice what happened, what I saw and what I felt, but then again it was like a knife was stabbed in my heart over and over. The knowledge that this was going to haunt me forever was slowly coming over me.

"_Bon Dieu_." My father gasped as I finished telling him about all that I did out there in the field. Somehow I felt better after voicing it all to him, thinking that it was some kind of weight that was washing over me now and making me feel lighter.

"But it was the men I worked with that made it more bearable," I explained, seeing him now look at me with interest, "They protect me out there, papa. I never met a better group of men than those guys who were in Easy Company." He smiled at me, a warm smile as he placed his hands on my own in the tire swing, having me then gave the sense of smiling as well since I thought of the men in my Company, my brothers, and how they made me feel joy and happiness.

"Tell me about them." He urged, seeing that there was some kind of spark in me then when I mentioned the men.

"There's Winters, our major. He's very kind, sincere and a good leader. And Nixon, another Captain of ours, he liked to drink and was more sarcastic. And then there's Eugene, he goes by Doc, the other combat medic on the company. You would like him, papa. He's very kind and makes me look mediocre with medicine. He's my best friend in the group." I went on, talking about Luz, Toye and Bull, Guarnene and Malarky, along with those we lost in the war like Tipper and Muck, along with Julian. But I left Joe for last.

"He's…..he's something else." I started, a smile was still evident on my face and I could feel warmth flooding my cheeks as he watched me with his own grin on his face, "He's sarcastic, very stubborn and hardheaded, snarky with his comments and his remarks, a good soldier…but he was also kind to me and never saw me less than what I was. And…I fell in love with him." I said the last part in such a breathy tone that it felt so easy to say out loud, a bigger grin was on my face as I was dozing off in my own mind, seeing Joe there with a grin on his face and his eyes so warm, "It was easy for me to fall for him I guess. But I didn't think he would love me back, not for one minute. There's no one else like him, papa. I can't picture myself with anyone else than him." As soon as I finished with that thought, I snapped out of my dazed fantasy of Joe and then look at my father. He was still watching me, but his smile never left his face as he heard what I said about Joe. I felt then under the microscope with him, since I just confessed that I fell in love with a solider in front of my father and I had no idea what he was going to say next.

"You love this man?" He asked me in a curious tone, though I could see something glossy in his eye. I nodded my head, the smile still there and my heart feeling a bit better. No matter how many times I said it out loud, it was still giving me butterflies when I thought about it and said it from my own mouth to someone that was not myself.

"More than anything and anyone." I replied back to him smoothly as I then saw a single tear roll down his cheek and hit the dusty ground beneath me, having me see him then frame my face gently in his hands, having me think of Joe again and even Doc, since they have done this to me so many times.

"If this man can make you smile and have joy again, from what I'm seeing now," My father said aloud, having me see that he was talking about how I was being affected now as I was telling him about my time with him, "Then I want to meet him sometime in the future and shake his hand."

"Shake his hand?" I asked him, confused as to why he would say that.

"For making you beyond happy." He explained to me, having me finally grin from ear to ear for the first time since I came home. My father saw the happiness back on my face, and all that I needed to do was talk about it with him and get it off my chest since there was no other way tog et the demons away from me. I then bit my lip, having to realize that I had to voice one other factor to Joe that would be important.

"I should tell you." I started, having me see him watch me now with interest as I took in a deep breath and watched him carefully to see the look on his face.

"He's a Jew."

"Oh dear."


	34. Chapter 34

I woke up again, but this time, it was no nightmare that haunted me. In fact, it wasn't even a haunting in the first place. It was just a dream, a good dream compared to the other nightmares that were plaguing me since I came home. This was just a regular dream, a nice one really. I was in the middle of a field, the tall grass that was around me and I was in a summer dress that was ivory, cotton and simple along my pale arms and legs. The one thing that made it a pleasant dream was Joe, whom was with me and holding me close in his arms. We were smiling and just enjoying each other, even having me feel him kiss my hair and run his fingers against my arms and skin. It was soothing, so soothing compared to the dreams I had had in the past. Before, they were filled with chaos and sorrow and pain. But with this one, only one out of the dozens of nightmares, this was one was real enough to make me smile as I woke up.

This was the first time I woke up without screaming, but it was still shaking me where I was. I have missed him to the point of dreaming about him. Dreaming about kissing him, holding him….damnit. I have never been deprived when it came to love and intimacy before, and this was killing me not being near him. I was acting more like a girl these guys, a girl who was not near her boyfriend. It would be time before we would be together again, but who knew that would be since I would think Joe was too trying to get his own life together with his family and his sanity before he would come to me. My father was fine with the fact that he was a Jew, though it was still a shock to him. I knew he had no say on who I loved since I was now an army veteran. His argument was invalid.

I blinked a few times, staring at my ceiling of my room and just stayed content in the silence of the house. I could hear the noises of the fireflies in the bayou grass outside my window, along with the leaves of the willow tree rustling in the new breeze since my window was wide open to let the coolness come into my room. Archer was on my bed, his head was on my legs and was fast asleep, not moved from my being awake. My sheets were cool against my pale skin, though I looked down at my arms and saw some of the thing scars that were there from the Battle of Carentan and Operation Garden Market. They were small, almost looking like scratches that I would get from a cat, but they were there and I remember running through those battles and those streets to get to my brothers and make sure they were okay.

"_You are stronger than you think."_

Doc's words rang in my head, having me clutch the blanket over me closer to my body as I thought of my best friend again. He was concerned about going through the same thing as I: going back to normal life. I couldn't picture his life without being involved with medicine since he was so good in my opinion. It was still a shock to me that he has never worked with medicine before the war, that it was assigned to him like any kind of job, and yet he took it and ran with it. I had more respect for him because of that, since I grew up around medicine and was trained in it for five years before I went to the war. He had more of a drive for it, when I had more of a gut instinct. We worked well together as a team, a great team. The Crazy Cajuns, according to Spina. It made me think of Spina then, having me wonder if he ever went into painting since he swore he would never do medicine again. What was Doc doing now actually? It made me wonder, really wonder as I drifted off back to sleep, and for the first time in awhile, I slept in content.

I slept in peace.

* * *

><p>I was awake the next day in the cool summer morning, sitting at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee in hand as Owen was making breakfast for the both of us. Our parents were in town for the day, going shopping for food together and then heading over to the church to see if they could get any volunteer work done. It was a slow morning for me, though it was the first time I woke up without bags under my eyes. I actually got retest for once in two weeks and after the long days of staring into nothing and the nightmares flooding my mind over and over like a record player on constant repeat.<p>

I heard Owen tap something on the oven, getting my attention as I was looking at the coffee cup in my hand. I looked up, seeing Owen looking at me and then pointing to the counter hear the archway that lead to the living room. He pointed with his fork that he was using, then placing it on the floor and signing to me _You got a letter early this morning. Mom wanted me to remind you._

Getting up from the table, I signed _Thank you_ to my brother and then glided over to the counter, rubbing my eyes and trying to get more of the tiredness out of my own eyes. Once I looked down at the letter in front of me, my eyes went wide and my heart almost went out of my throat when I saw who it was from.

Doc.

Greedily I grabbed the envelope and ran over to the living room, plopping down on the couch and ripping it open with haste. I haven't heard from Doc since we separated on the train when we were at his stop. I unfolded the paper, seeing his neat handwriting that I knew well from looking at his medical journal. Just seeing his handwriting was enough for me to get by as I started reading what he wrote out with such delicacy and grace:

_Gingembre, _

_I hope you get this letter and write back. I've been wanting to write to you since I got home, but I haven't had the time at first. My mom and dad have been all over me, making sure I was comfortable being at home. Please telling me you're getting loved all over too, it's about to get old on this end of Louisiana._

_I can't sleep, I keep hearing someone call out "Medic" to me, and I can still hear the guns going off in my own head. It's hard for me to sleep, since whenever I close my eyes, I see ghosts. There have been times where I sleepwalk, my mother catching me outside in the dead of night in the middle of our field, looking for someone or something as if they were calling for me. It's Bastogne all over again, Marley. Are you going through the same thing as me? _

_I got a letter from Babe. He's going through a rough patch with his own demons involving Julian and his death. He went to the Doctor, and the Doc told him it was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it's supposed to be common with soldiers coming back from war. Maybe I'm going through the same thing as Babe: hearing voices and little things setting me off. I'm going to the Doctor in a couple of days and I'll let you know._

_Please tell me how you're doing. I do miss your company and talking with you every day. It's hard for me, not being around my best friend on the Company. Babe is going to come out here pretty soon to visit, you should come out too and see him as well. It would be nice to have a small reunion with some of us in order to get better. I figured if we're together, we can get better and go forward. _

_Miss you like crazy and love you to pieces,_

_Eugene._

I smiled from seeing the letter in my hands, folded it back up perfectly and thinking to myself about Doc again. What he wrote, about him suffering as bad as I was. And Babe, how he too was going through and having the same kind of pains and horrors. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it sounded so medical that it wouldn't be involved in my life. I read about it from Medical school with medical disorders and psychological problems, but for me to live with that? Was it even possible? I had to find out for certain, and even as a nurse I still had to make sure that it was true on my mind of the spectrum.

"Marley." I looked up and over, having me see that it was my mother, looking over at me from the front door holding her groceries in her paper bag. She was just smiling at me, having me smile back at me and place the letter on the floor. Carefully she walked over, placing the food on the coffee table in front of me and standing next to me, placing some of her fingers in my hair and having me see him tilt her head to the side.

"Would you like me to cut your hair, _fille_?" She asked me in a soothing tone, having me see her grin at me the same kind of grin that she would use on me as a mother to a daughter. I felt bad for my mother, since I felt like I was shutting her out the past two weeks and not showing any sign of warmth on my mind. It was not right for me to treat her like when she was trying to come back to me in her own way. So I nodded my head, not knowing what else to do for her at that moment.

So my mother had me sit in front of her, running her fingers in my hair and cutting my hair short again. I was in the kitchen at the table, having my hands on the table in front of me as my mother worked on my hair as she did when I was a child. It was a sweet moment for the both of us as my mother took away every strand of damaged hair as if she was taking away fear and nightmare with a cut of her scissors. As she did this, I told her all I told my father and Owen. This time, though, I was no longer sad of what happened and how it all happened to me. I just told her in a simple tone, hearing her hum in agreement and gasp at moments of sadness. She as also kind to me from what I told her, though I knew it pained her from the information of me almost dying so many times. It was good that I told her, hearing her being understanding with me.

When I finished, she just hugged me from behind and whispered that she loved me. It made me remember, back years ago on the ship to England and how Doc hugged me there from behind in the same manner. It was an intimate hug, a hug that showed that the person cared and somehow knew my pain that I was feeling. My heart was no longer hurting or cutting deep within my soul, having me smile as she started to sing to me again. I got to hear her voice fully again, no longer having to listen to the memories and the dreams of her voice from the past. Now this was real, real enough for me.

_Black clouds are behind me, I now can see ahead_

_Often I wonder why I try hoping for an end_

_Sorrow weighs my shoulders down_

_And trouble haunts my mind_

_But I know the present will not last_

_And tomorrow will be kinder_

I smiled widely: I knew this song. She sang this song to Owen when he was an infant to calm him from his tears at night. She knew he could not hear her, but something about feeling the vibration of her voice against his cheek and skin made him stop crying. This song was so gentle and soothing, a promise that tomorrow was going to be better and more soothing than the day that was suffered through. I watched from the door of his room, seeing her there with my brother as a baby in her arms and watching her with his big eyes. I never saw anything more beautiful than my mother, and I have never heard anything more beautiful than her voice. Her voice was heaven, it was home, it was a safety net. Now I knew why she was singing to me, she wanted to bring me back home to her again, to bring me back to safety. I sang with her in the chorus, singing the harmony with her as out voices filled the house again as if we were younger and no touched by the stains and sins of war.

_Tomorrow will be kinder_

_It's true, I've seen it before_

_A brighter day is coming my way_

_Yes, tomorrow will be kinder_

I sang the next part, knowing it by heart since she taught me the song when I was 10 years old. I pictured Joe in my head again as I sung the song, but there was no pain in the picture of Joe in my head. He was just smiling at me, the moments we had together that were stolen and hidden in the shadows of battle and the ruined cities. I missed those moments, hearing him laugh against my lips as we kissed and how his fingers were against my skin to touch me with such intimacy.

_Today I've cried a many tear_

_And pain is in my heart_

_Around me lies a somber scene_

_I don't know where to start_

_But I feel warmth on my skin_

_The stars have all aligned_

_The wind has blown, but now I know_

_That tomorrow will be kinder_

* * *

><p>A few more days went by, having me still trying to be able to walk from one place to another without being haunted by the war. It was getting harder and harder for me, since I too went to the Doctor and he gave me my own diagnosis:<p>

PTSD.

I knew I had it after all, but it was another thing to hear it from a Doctor that was not me. I was skeptical to go, but my mother and father insisted. As soon as we got word of what it was, I only shrugged and rubbed my eyes in a tired state as the doctor was talking to my parents about the long run of my condition. It all depended on how I was getting through daily tasks, and it could take years until I was well again. It seemed fair to me, because I knew this was something I was not going to snap out of overnight. I was still in the fresh stage apparently, since loud noises freaked me out and made me jump of my own skin and some bright flashes of lights made me want to scream. But most of the time I was a zombie, still not able to eat most of the food my mother gave me and tried to force down my throat since I lost 30 pounds, according to the doctor. I was now looking worse than ever, and there was nothing that could help me.

But it all changed one early morning, having me up and about as usual as I had a cup of coffee in my hand. It was a foggy morning for summer, since a storm was going to come through and make it chilly for the summer storm season in Louisiana. I had the cup in my hand, breathing it in and closing my eyes to harness the images popping in my head again. The chilly fog rolled around our farmhouse, having me look out and only see a glimpse of the outlined willow tree and the shadow of the tire swing. However, there was something else that was in the fog, something in the shape of a person.

I walked over to the front door, opening it and walking out. I was barefoot, wearing jeans that were rolled to the ankles, a blouse tucked into the jeans and my hair short framing my face. I peered out to see who it was. It was odd to see someone at the house so early in the morning when the sun wasn't even poking out from the fog. But the person was walking closer, having me see them clearly and then the cup n my hand dropping within an instant. I was frozen solid on the porch since I thought then that I was dreaming again and this was a nightmare, a cruel one. Was it real? Why was I awake, I should be asleep and have another haunting of him. No, this was no real, yet there he was.

Joe.

He stood near the tree, his army bag was in his hand as he looked at me with the very eyes that I dreamed of. He wore slacks, a jacket over his white shirt and sneakers, though the one thing that was the same was his face, his beautiful lanky face that I loved more than anything. My God, he was here in front of me, and I Prayed to God that I was dead, ascended into heaven and I was meeting him there with no more pain or horrors to face. No, I was alive, this was real and he was in front of my house. He looked so different, as if he too suffered from the aftermath of war. But he looked so warm to me, the cheeks and the lanky figure he had. I was too frozen in my spot to move, since I was still convinced this was some kind of trick, but I looked at him with such shock on my face.

All of my thoughts were gone within that moment, seeing him smile at me and stop there on the dirt road as I felt my feet move before I could think. My instincts kicked in, having me run down my porch and over to him, tears in my cheeks as he dropped his own bag on the dirt floor and ran over me too, the look of pure determination in his face and eyes. We collided in the middle, my arms around his neck and my head digging into his shoulder, knowing that this was real. His arms were around me, holding me close and having me cry into his shoulder. There were so many reasons why I was crying then: seeing him again after two weeks of being apart, knowing that he was here and no longer plaguing my dreams, and seeing another person who knew my nightmares and understood where I was coming from. Joe just held me there, having me miss his hugs on me and how he held me in the dead of night. But this time we were just normal people now, no longer in uniform and no longer having to hide our love from the rest of the world and the Company.

"I'm here now, Marley," he soothed me, rubbing my back as one of his hands were on the back of my head to hold me close and never let me go, having me smile to hear his voice again, "I'm not going anywhere. I promised you, I'm not leaving you ever again." He pulled my head back to look at me directly in the eyes. I saw his eyes examine my face, seeing how damaged and thin I looked and there was pain in his eyes from seeing what PTSD was doing to me. I broke his heart again, but I smiled at him as he stroked the tears from my face with his long fingers tenderly. I touched his cheeks with my own, making sure this was real. I could feel him shaking from under my fingertips, and I rested my forehead against his, breathing out a shaky breath.

"You're here, you're real." I croaked out, seeing him smile and then kiss me so gently that it felt like a whisper against my lips. I felt it there, not wanting to let go of that kiss since we both were suffering without each other and now we were reunited again.

This nightmare was going to be melting away because of him. He was saving me now as we kissed on the dirt road on our knees and touching each other's skin. There was nothing else sweeter than this, what I had with him, and I wanted nothing else but this with him. He was going to heal me, and I would heal him in return.

_Tomorrow will be kinder_

_It's true, I've seen it before_

_A brighter day is coming my way_

_Yes, tomorrow will be kinder_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Author's note: <em>Hey readers, thanks for the reviews as this story is going to wind down to an end. Please let me know how I am doing and spread this story around to other Band of Brother lovers. I used the song Tomorrow Will Be Kinder by the Secret Sisters since it sounded like a hymn that would be used for this scene and part of the story. Thanks again for reading!  
><strong>


	35. Chapter 35

I paced back and forth in the kitchen, my fingers in my mouth as I tried to concentrate on something positive. But my own mind was always going back to Joe, whom was talking to my father in the study that was on the other side of the house, too far for me to hear since I was sent to be back to be with my mother. This was beyond maddening to me, since I was just hugging him so close in my arms on the dirt road and now we were apart again, but only for a short while. My father saw us hugging each other and he could see that it was the same man whom I told that stole my heart. He wanted to talk to Joe, about what, I had no clue, and that scared me even more.

"The more you pace, the more you are going to get yourself into a mental breakdown, _fille_." My mother soothed me from her spot at the kitchen table with both her voice and through her signing, hands folded nicely at the table and her eyes watching me go back and forth on the tile floor. Owen was there as well, watching me as he sat on the countertop with curious eyes.

"I don't know what they are talking about, and that scares me." I explained to her in a hushed tone and with my fingers flying through the signs with a bitter attitude, my fingers were against my lips again threatening to bite the nails in worry and fear that my dad who really drill Joe to the core. My dad was no army man himself, so he had no real hard bone in his body. But he was still a father of a daughter, and he has talked to boys once or twice on my behalf to make sure that they were good enough for me. It was the same thing all over again, though neither one of us were teenagers and reckless. Well, we could be seen as reckless.

"Honey, he's just trying to get to know him and talk to him, that's all." My mother said to me in her calm tone and her smooth signing, though she too was a bit worried about what was going on in the study. I looked over at the clock that was in the kitchen and groaned: they've been in there for about 45 minutes now.

"He's going to interrogate him, that's what he's doing," I reminded her, "It's like high school all over again when I was asked to prom by Trevor Jonesy." I looked over to my brother, seeing him shrug his shoulders as hew as following along with our conversation.

_He's not going to kill him or anything like that. You know Dad, he's just talking._ Owen signed to me with a sign of hope in his eyes.

"I know he's not going to kill him, Owen. It jet feels weird that he's talking to him." I explained to him with my fingers and saying it out loud since he too can read lips. He just shook his head at me, seeing that I was clearly not liking this situation and giving me a snarky grin from his spot on the countertop.

"Why don't you go in the living room and take a few deep breaths, get your mind back at ease. You know what the doctors said about you and your stress, it could trigger another event." My mother reminded me with her voice and fingers, having me look over at her and see the concern in her eyes. She wasn't wanting me to have another episode of PTSD since I was still in a bad place with it. I stared at her, seeing that she was pleading with me with her eyes for me to go into another room and take a deep breath, since all of this overworking of my mind would sink me into another episode and make it worse. I looked from my mother over to Owen, seeing him nod his head and make a fist, waving it up and down since that was the sign for _yes_. I sighed, no longer wanting to argue with either one of them, walking out of the room and over tot he living room again.

I plopped myself down on the couch, laying out my feet on the cushions and resting my head against the head rest, feeling myself close my eyes and go off in a dream again.

* * *

><p>I was running through Bastogne again, running with my feet hitting the snow and my hair flying under my helmet as I was just running. There was no place to where I was running to, though it reminded me of when I was going to find my satchel that I lost. Throughout the war, that satchel was the one thing that I needed in order to stay a medic. It was me one sense of purpose, because all of my tools were there and all that I knew to be true about me was there as well. This dream though, it felt like I wasn't running to the satchel. I was running somewhere else, to some kind of haven from where I was one was. This was me at that moment, running from the past memories of war and all of the pain that I went through.<p>

I could hear the past battles go off in my head again, the grenades going off and the men crying out for a medic. But I was still running in one direction, grenades going off around me left and right with the dirt flying over me like a curved shield. I still wasn't touched by the explosions around me as I dodged the trees in the winter forest. The voices of the men in the company, my company, calling out to me as if they are trying to wake me up from some kind of dream away from them. But I then knew that they are getting farther and farther away from me, out of my own reach and without me able to reach them. That was all I wanted to do when I was in the army: to save each of them from death. But in this dream, they were getting farther and farther from me. It felt like no matter how fast and far I ran, they were faster and farther away from me, away from my grasp and nowhere near safe. I heard one last boom going off behind me, the explosion that was big enough to knock me off my feet and having my dream go black again.

* * *

><p>I woke up in a jolt, having me feel like a cold flash came over me like cold water and my eyes blinking in a fast rate to see where I was. I was back on my couch again, apparently I went off to sleep and had mother flashback that was morphed with a nightmare. But I then I felt something was holding my hand that was draped over my stomach, or it was someone. There happened to be none other than Joe, sitting on the coffee table and watching me with worried eyes. I must have dozed off longer than I thought since he was no longer talking to my father and was now watching me asleep on the couch. How long was I asleep for? It felt like hours though it only must have been one hour to be honest.<p>

Joe was watching me from the coffee table, mere inches away from me and giving me the look of concern and worry as I was sprawling on the couch. There was a blanket on my, one of the fleece ones that my mother had draped on a chair, someone must have placed it over me while I was out cold on the couch. Joe was rubbing my hand with his thumb, saying nothing at first but giving me a small smile that was spreading all over me. I had many questions to ask him since he was with my father in the study. How did it go with him? What did he ask him? What did he want to know from Joe? Did Joe bring up the fact that we wanted to get married? All of these questions were in my head as I was watching him from my spot on the couch.

"Hey." He said to me in a warm tone, having me smile from just hearing his voice so close to me again. It was so good to hear his voice again since the past two weeks were teases of his voices in my mind and dreams.

"Hey you." I replied back, not knowing what else to say in that moment, though I could tell that he was seeing how bad I looked from no sleep and no food in my stomach that I could not keep there.

"You look good." He commented to me with his cocky voice, though it sounded strained at the end of it. He was trying so hard to keep it light between us, but I could see past his eyes and see the pain that was there. Joe must of saw me with my nightmare that I just had there, it must have hit him hard in the chest and hard to see that. It would with me too if I saw it with Joe, pain in my heart from someone I cared for deeply going through a painful dream.

"Don't lie to me." I commented to him, my voice was laced with seriousness and sternness as he then saw how I was acting to him. At this point, all I needed was him right there with me, even though he tried to make me feel better with his words, I knew that I looked like shit and there was nothing to make it better when it came to words.

"You want me to be honest with you?" He asked me, his voice was a bit lower now since he could tell where I was going with this. I loved seeing him there in front of me, but I had to come and face the reality that I was still suffering from the war and it was changing me for both the better and the worst.

"That I look like shit?" I replied back to him, seeing him look at me up and down with his eyes, slowly breaking out his cocky grin again and slowly place his other hand on my arm, having me feel his cool hand against my pale skinny arm and rub my arm soothingly.

"Yeah," he said back to me, having me slowly smile at him as his own cheerful grin was making it so hard for me to glare at him at this point since I have missed him too damn much to hate him now, "You look like complete shit. But I still think you're beautiful." I started to laugh, for some reason I had to laugh. He laughed with me too, having me hear the laughter from his lips was another soothing thing for me in that moment as we are giggling with each other in my living room. Why did I choose to laugh at that moment, when all I was feeling was pain and suffering in my chest and head. There was something inside of me that needed a release, something that was held up inside for far too long and was slowly gnawing away at me. But for me to laugh, that took more strength from me than I thought would be possible.

Our laughter died down then, having me just smile at Joe and see him lean over to me, hovering above my slightly as he was looking down at me and running his fingers in the short hair I had now. He was so close to me, like moments we have had before in Europe where we would have to be careful on how we were been seen in front of others. But this was different, we were in my house and there was no need to be safe or cautious. I have missed his smiles, how his eyes grinned at me and showed loved to me and how he looked relaxed and content around me.

"I've missed you too damn much." he murmured to me since he was so close to kissing me then. I nodded my head at him.

"Me too," I replied back in return, my voice was too so soft that it was perfect for just him to hear me, "it's been hard for me here, way too hard…"

"You're dad told me." He explained, having me watch him carefully as he mentioned my father.

"What did you talk about with him?" I asked, seeing him take in a deep breathe before rubbing his face with his fingers, looking a bit out of it himself. I felt bad then, seeing him worn out in front of me and then having me ask him more questions. He came all of the way out here from California, and now I was just making it more a stressful time for him. I sighed, grabbing his shirt with my fingers and pulling him in for a kiss. He sighed into the kiss, kissing me back instantly as we both took it nice and slow now. Our kisses between us were something that I would constantly be addicting to, and after a few moments of us kissing with his position against the couch, I grabbed both of his arms and pulled him onto the couch with me, kicking off the blanket that was draped over me.

"Come here, my love." I urged him, molding him into my embrace. My head was against the armrest again pillow and Joe's head was under my chin, his arms around my middle and holding me close to him as our legs were intertwined together. I ran one of my hands along his arms and the other against his hair, hearing him hum in content as we were just being together on the couch, looking at the fireplace and the foggy summer day. This is what we both needed since we left each other's sides three weeks ago. We just needed to hold each other, drink each other in with our burdens and sins. There was never a risk or a rush to fall into an embrace of lust with Joe, never once. We were both more content with just being next to one another, to know that there was another soul that understood how complicated we felt about ourselves.

"Where is everyone?" I asked aloud suddenly, noticing now that both my parents and Owen were nowhere to be seen.

"They told me to tell you that they were going to go out for the day, visit some friends in the downtown area." Joe explained against my skin with his lips.

"And they left me with you….in an empty house…alone…" I said in an amused tone, having me feel him smile against my skin as his hold on my tighten slightly and my fingers were stroking the back of his neck.

"I'm just as surprised as you are, trust me." Joe went on, having me grin against his hair, "But I think your dad must of thought we needed alone time together, though your mother was very hesitant since she just met me."

"I would be too. I mean, have you looked at yourself: what a troublemaker." I joked with him, hearing him chuckle and poke my side to have me giggle in his embrace.

"But your mother…you look like her," Joe told me, having me stay quiet as he went on, "You have the same cheeks, even the same smile. But I think you have your dad's eyes. They seem so cool. Even when I was talking to him, I felt like I could tell him anything excuse of his eyes. You're the same, Marley. I can tell you anything and not feel like I was placed on display to be judged." I held him closer to him, feeling him nuzzle into me as I placed a kiss into his hair.

"I would never judge you, Joe." I reassured him, feeling him press a kiss to my collarbone in return as we felt into another couple of moment of silence alone together. There was no need to move, or make a sound since there was nothing to tell. Not to me really. All I needed was this peaceful time with him, since this was now reality and no longer a dream. Joe took a deep breath then, having me rethink that this was like Germany all over again, the both of us on that mattress.

"I keep dreaming about the prison camps." Joe finally said aloud, since I could feel in my hold on him that something was wrong with him. I stayed quiet though, thinking that this was his time to talk about what he was going through and what happened with him for the past weeks since we've been apart.

"All of their faces were watching me, looking at me as if they were reading me mind, you know? It's so hard to sleep sometimes, because I would think I was back there…back in Bastogne and in Foye…in all those places, "Joe murmured to me as I felt him tap his fingers against my shirt and having me feel the heat go through the shirt onto the skin, "It's hard for me to just walk down the street without hearing gunfire or even men dying. Tipper….Muck…even Jackson for Christ's sake."

"I hear them too," I explained to him softly, "I can hear them call out to me to help them."

"When is it going to end?" Joe asked aloud to the both of us to think about.

"I don't know, love. But the doctors explained that it could take years to completely get over." I replied back to him, hearing nothing from him and it made me feel as though I hit a snag with him.

"You saw a doctor?" he asked me, no longer hinted with concern but with a touch of anger in his tone.

"My mom insisted since I wasn't eating and not sleeping at all." I explained to him calmly, though I could feel him holding me and it felt like he was annoyed with the fact that I had to go and seek help.

"And he says you have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?" he questioned, having me close my eyes in a grimace from having me hear the term from Joe's mouth. I knew he didn't like the fact that I was being diagnosed by a doctor, he was protective on that end and stubborn as well. But he had to know what I was having to go through and how I was trying to get by little by little.

"It's common among soldiers who return from war," I said to him, "Doc's going through the same too, along with Babe. I'm not the only one from our Company suffering, you know that."

"It's just the fact that those Doctors…they don't know what we went through and what we saw and heard." Joe explained calmly, having me nod my head against his.

"I know that, Joe. They understand too, believe me." I reassured him, running my fingers up and down his back and hearing him hum for a moment before he spoke up again.

"You think I am going through the same thing?" Joe asked me in wonder, no longer in annoyance but in curiosity.

"You might be, but I'm no doctor. I'm just a nurse, Joe." I reminded Joe, looking down slightly and see him looking rather discomforted with the thought of he himself having PTSD. His forehead crinkled as if he was in deep thought about it and having me wish that I could just read his mind and see what was haunting him.

"I think you're more than that." Joe said to me suddenly, having me smile against his brown locks and feel him sneak in another kiss against my cool skin and giving me chills. I pulled him closer into my embrace, breathing him in and smelling the scent of the fog that he went through, cigarette smoke, a hint of cologne and linen. It was soothing for me to breathe in, since it was a sense of reality for me as I was trying to get out of the living nightmare that I was sucked into from the moment that I got off the boat.

I then thought of something that would help the both of us, having me smile against his hair. This would be a peaceful moment that I wanted since I too had to hold up a promise for him to hold and take. I moved my head slightly as I then cleared my throat slightly.

"You wanna see something?"

* * *

><p>Joe and I walked hand in hand, going along the dirt road that was curved to the east and that was leading us to the place I told him about plenty of times that was my perfect place. Since he was already here, clearly suffering as much as I was. It was now late afternoon, almost duck when we were walking together along the main road and hearing the sounds of the evening life coming over the day time. We needed a walk, to get out of the house and breathe in the soothing air of the moist bayou. Joe looked around as we walked, having me watch him as he observed where I grew up. I loved hearing the waters of the small lakes that were scattered around the area, since we were living on the outskirts of the city.<p>

We took Archer with us, whom at this point did not need a leash and was walking next to me, not straying for one minute. Joe was glad to see Archer again, rubbing behind his ears and laughing at Archer tried to lick his face. So came along with us on our walk, looking around himself but staying close to our heels and not moving away. I was glad to have Archer with me through this whole time since he was another sense of reality for me. Through every nightmare and setback, Archer was right there and loving on me, as any loving dog would when their master was in pain. He somehow knew my pain, he felt it and he tried to soothe it. I was glad I found him and brought him home with me, thanking God that I found another good memory of the war in Archer.

After walking for about an hour or so, I stopped the both of us on the outskirts of Lake Pontchartrain, seeing the tall grass morph into the ocean and sink into it so softly. The sun was creeping out from the fog, touching the top of the lake waters and making it look crystalized as I just watched from my spot. There was a tint of gold creeping from the clouds above, and also beautiful shades of blue and green along the waters and tall grass. Joe was analyzing the whole place with a soft look, like he was back in a dream of some sort as I squeezed his hand in mine.

"This is my perfect place." I explained to him, seeing him look from left to right with his eyes and a small smile on his face, slowly growing bigger and bigger. I dreamed of this place many times while we were at war, and this place brought me peace and tranquility in times of woe and chaos. I loved everything about it: breathing in the moist air from the lake and hearing the soft sounds of the water rippling onto the shore and the flocks of birds flying over it the safe waters. There was nothing quite like this place, the slope of the earth going into the water and having me see the clouds on the top of the lake and wonder if I was looking at a picture instead of a lake.

Looking over at Joe, I could finally witness a sense of peace on his fragile and broken face. He needed to see this, even with or without our promise to each other. There were times when we were called to have something distracts from our demons, and this lake was it for us. We need dot look at something beautiful in order to look away from something ugly and cruel. I could see the fear melting away from Joe off his skin, slowly onto the floor beneath our feet as he closed his eyes, breathing out through his smiling mouth and I smiled too.

Finally, we both had peace.


	36. Chapter 36

"So, Joseph." My mother started as we were eating dinner that night. After Joe and I walked home from the Lake, our parents and Owen were already home and making dinner, asking Joe to join us since he just arrived this morning. I was now afraid that they were going to interrogate him more since he had already talked to my father. Both of my parents were just trying to be friendly with him, since they saw Joe as someone who was close to me and a good friend in the time of war. Owen was more amused about Joe and how he was with me since I told him so much about Joe. So we were sitting around the table together, eating another homemade meal of Gumbo that my mother made for the occasion. The house was lit in the cool night as a summer breeze flew through, taking the fog with it as the house was filled with warmth again.

"My daughter tells me you are from California." My mother started the conversation lightly as I took a tentative bite from my soup next to Joe, whom took a bite himself and was trying to get used to the spice of the gumbo. Owen was across from me, seeing the hesitance in my eyes as I looked at him. He winked at me, trying to make me feel better about the situation as my father was on my right and my mother was next to Joe at the head of the table.

"I am, ma'am. I was born in Michigan and I moved to San Francisco when I was very young." Joe explained to my mother as I felt the hot gumbo go down my throat and then having me reach for a drink of the tea we were having. I saw Owen waved at me with one hand, shrugging since he had no idea what Joe was saying. I translated for him, seeing him follow my fingers and hands as I went through the motions smoothly.

"And you also speak German?" My mother asked me aloud, her own fingers signing for Owen.

"I do," Joe replied with a grin on his face, "Both of my parents are Jewish and from Austria. But I was raised Catholic." Joe explained to her in his gentle polite tone, making me smile as I translated for Owen. The smile on my face showed from seeing that Joe was trying hard to please both of my parents.

"Well, with the fact you speak German, that probably came pretty handy when it came to being in the war." My father commented from next to me, having me watch him carefully now as he both said that and signed. Joe nodded his head, signing _yes_, having me see Owen grin from ear to ear from seeing Joe sign. Even my mom and dad were looking at him in surprise, Mom grinning slightly as my dad chuckled from his spot in his chair.

"And apparently Sign Language. I suspect my daughter had something to do with that." My mother said in a bright tone, having me feel a blush come over me from being placed on the spot next to Joe as he nodded his head with the cocky grin on his face.

"She taught all of our Company the basics, but I've been practicing." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders, signing the words _taught _and _practice_. I saw him then look over at Owen, who was then signing at him with a big grin on his face.

_You're doing good._ He signed to Joe, having me see him sign _Thank you, I have your sister to thank for that_. Owen smiled brightly then.

"A jack of all trades." My father commented aloud in a chuckle, having me playfully glare at him as I took another bite from my gumbo, somehow feeling a bit better then because I was holding down the food that was in my bowl. Joe took another bite from his own bowl, then drinking his tea before he wiped his mouth with the napkin and smiling at my parents.

"You know Marley told me all about your cooking and how it's the best," He commented to my mother, seeing her wave him off playfully, "And now I am fully convinced that it _is_ the best."

"Why thank you, Joseph. But I hope you did not tell your own mother that." My mom replied back to him in a chuckle, having the rest of us at the table laugh with her as I took one more bite from the gumbo at the bowl because getting the same feeling in my stomach, the feeling of sickness.

"I didn't tell her a single thing. My mother is more prone to making pastries." Joe explained to her.

"Well then, she beat me with that. I can't bake a cake at all, it was not my forte. The last cake I baked fell flat and almost burned this whole house to the ground." My mother confessed to Joe with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, she bakes good cakes and other treats, and they _are_ good." My father tried to reason with him, but my mom waved him off with her grin on her face. I tried to smile as well, but the sickness that I was feeling within my body was getting worse with every breath.

"I've been wanting to tell Marley this, but since you are here as well, you both might as well know, "My father started, having the both of us look over at him as I felt a cold sweat break over my forehead and my hand going to my stomach to pray that I would not be sick, not here and not now, "Your mother and I have been planning to go out to Colorado with Owen to see his college and the city he's living in. We've been planning this for months, and now that you're back….and it seems as though you are getting better…."

"You father is trying to say that we are going to have you stay here a while longer to get better." My mother finished for him, having me look from my mother to my father with big eyes. I wanted as well to see Owen and where he was living in College. But now they wanted me to stay here and get better? A part of me was sad since I felt as though I was being pushed to the side because of my crazy mind and how I was still trying to recover from what I went through.

"I can handle the trip, mom. I promise." I reassured her, though the sickness in my stomach made me sound a bit out of breath as I blinked a few times.

"And we are saying that you can't _fille,_" my mother said to me in a soothing tone, seeing the pain in my eyes and the thought of betrayal, "But you still need to rest and get better before you can do something like this. And now you have Joe who can stay with you here." Joe's eyes went wide from the mere thought of my mother letting him stay here in the house with me.

"I don't want to overstay…I mean….I don't want to stay here unless you want me to." Joe tried to word out politely as I closed my eyes, my stomach was now about to revolt against me since my stomach too was trying to get back to normal.

"It's fine, Joe. You came out here from California and I am not going to have to turn back around to go home after one day here. I trust the both of you here." My mother reassured him as I opened my eyes again, breathing out slowly and feeling the sickness washing over me then. My brother saw this, eyeing me carefully and signing _Are you okay?_ I shook my head, feeling it about to come up over my throat as I shot up from the table in a sudden bolt. Everyone looked at me with a concerned look as I moved away from them out of the room, not wanting to make a chaotic mess in front of them.

"Excuse me." I blurted out, bolting to the downstairs bathroom that was next to the study.

"Marley?" Joe called out, having me see that he too bolted up from his chair and was following me. I made it just in time in the bathroom, throwing myself against the toilet and emptying my stomach once again. As I did this, I felt more like a fool now, since my boyfriend and fiancé was trying to get to know my parents and his soon to be in-laws, and here I was spilling out my stomach and looking like a idiot. It must have looked terrible and sounded grotesque, since I was there for a while, trying to both breathe and not fall into my own vomit that was in the toilet. I thought I was alone, but I felt a hand on my back and a hand pushed back my short hair from getting messy. I knew those fingers, I remembered them. I sighed in defeat.

Joe.

"You're okay, _Schatz_." Joe said to me in a soothing manner, rubbing my back with an open palm as I was still dumping out my stomach into the toilet and was clutching the rim of the bowl with both shaky hands. This was beyond too much for me now, even in front of Joe I was still suffering though I thought I was getting better.

"There you go, take a deep breath, okay?" Joe asked me as he pulled me back gently with his hands on my arms, having me be done with my sickness and sit back on my legs since I was on my knees next to Joe. Joe flushed the toilet for me, then reaching over at the sink where the towel was hanging off of and grabbed it with one of his hands as the other was rubbing my back to help me. I was breathing in and out short breaths, as if I was going into labor and I was having a panic attack. I _was _having a panic attack since I just threw up in front of my parents, brother and fiancé and I felt like a fool. But I heard nothing of that manner from Joe, and as I calmed down, I looked over at Joe and I saw him smile at me as he handed me the towel.

"Here you go." he said to me, having me take it with my shaky fingers and wipe my face off, but I was still having shaky breaths and they were short. Joe kept rubbing my back, moving my hair that was sticking to my forehead and my neck from the sweat.

"I'm sorry." I said to him in a shaky tone, having me shake his head and just give me a loving smile.

"It's okay." he reassured me, the grin never leaving his face as he rubbed my back some more. I threw the towel on the floor next to us, trying to get my own breathing back to normal as I could hear the shuffling of feet behind us, having me realize that both of my parents and Owen were watching the whole thing happen. This made me feel worse since they were seeing me suffer in front of their very eyes.

"Just breathe in and out, okay? Come on, breathe with me." Joe said to me in a soothing manner, having me have another flashback of when he was trying to calm me down after I punched the drunken soldier who shot Grant. It was the same thing over again, my mind going crazy and Joe there trying to bring it back to where it was before. I felt him touch my face again with his hands, having me watch him breathe deeply in order to show me how to breathe. I mirrored him, closing my eyes and finding myself going back to normal again after a moment of breathing. I sighed in relief when my breathing was good again, looking over at Joe whom was still giving me a loving stare and grabbing both of my hands in his, having me feel the warmth and soothing skin that he had now.

"You see, _Cheri_, she's going to be fine with him." My father said behind us in the hallway, having me smile in relief that even though I looked like an idiot, I had support from my parents, Owen and Joe. This was only going to get better, I had to remind myself that over and over, since I had my better half back in my life.

* * *

><p>"I got a letter from Luz and Bull." I said aloud as I was at the living room couch, three after my parents and Owen left for Colorado. They caught the train early the morning after my dinner fiasco and I was left alone at the house with Joe, whom I would think would want to run to the hills with the thought of being alone with me in the house and no one to watch us. He wanted to so badly have my parents approve of him, and this was already too much of a scandal for him. That surprised me, since I saw him as a cocky frat boy because of his personality. But he had a kinder heart, and a good head on his shoulder when it came to me and my dignity. He never wanted my dignity to he shot to hell, bless his heart. My mom convinced him to stay with me, to not only keep an eye on me but to also make sure he has a place to stay since he only had his one bag and no hotel room. She was too kind to him, treating him also like a son.<p>

Joe was helping me out with the housework while my parents were away, being such a good husband in training in my eyes. I took him out to New Orleans in the day time, looking at random pubs that I knew and liked and even got him some more local foods that made him happy since he was used to the war food and the food of the bay. I was still trying to get my own stomach back on track, and Joe has been nothing but helpful with that. When it came to sleeping, he took my brother's bed, not wanting to push it when it came to sleeping in the same bed with me. We both wanted to, beyond any doubt, but he didn't want to push it. One of these days it was going to come to a head when it came to the two of us in the same bed.

I held both of the letters in my hand, seeing the distinct differences in the handwriting of both of the men and smiling to read the news that were happening. Joe walked in front the kitchen with two cups of coffee, sitting next to me on the couch as he placed the mugs down on the coffee table. He looked at the letters in my hands with a cocked eyebrow, smirking as I saw he was looking at the letter from Luz.

"All be damned," He said aloud in a grin and light tone, "He did get a job as a furniture mover. What a little scabber that guy is."

"He likes it, apparently. Luz wants me to come out and visit him in Rhode Island, and to meet the girl he met out there named Delvina." I explained to him, hearing him chuckle next to me.

"Hopefully she knows what she's getting herself into." Joe commented in a snarky comment, having me give him a playful glare and shoved him with my shoulder on the couch.

"I'm still seeing what I am getting myself into." I countered with him, seeing him watch me with his grin and lean in to kiss me on the cheek. I grinned from his antic, seeing them be more comfortable with our antics with each other.

"Don't be cheeky." I warned him, feeling him smile against my cheek then pulling away and then pointing to the other letter from Bull.

"What's going on with Bull then?" He asked, grabbing his mug and taking a long sip as I placed Luz's letter down and held Bull's letter in both of my hands.

"He's back to work on his farm with his family, making plans to start his earth moving business that he talked about with his dad. He too wants me to come out and see his farm, out there in freaking Arkansas." I explained to him as I read through the letter again.

"So this means you're going to have to go out to Rhode Island and Arkansas." Joe stated aloud as I handed him the letter, seeing him read it with his eyes and his smirk never leaving his face.

"I guess so." I replied back to him, seeing him now look over at me.

"Does this mean we can go on a road trip?" He asked me as I took a sip from my own mug of coffee, raising an eyebrow at him from that question.

"You wanna come with me?" I asked him, seeing him shrug his shoulders with the smirk still on his face and his eyes filled with optimism.

"Why not. You said so yourself you've always wanted to go and travel, and plus I don't wanna run back to my old job that quickly." He explained, having me smile from hearing his case.

"Driving cabs? Oh, come on, that's exciting." I said back in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh har har, way to be nice about it Marley. But in all seriousness, this would be good for you to get better: seeing the rest of the boys." Joe explained in more of a serious tone, tapping his finger against Bull's letter. He had a good point: if I wanted to get better I needed to go and find my brothers and talk to them about what I was going through. Joe was really helping out with me, there was no argument there. But it was still a nice relief to know that I had to go out and find my brothers around America. I nodded my head, seeing him grin at me with his coffee mug in hand and looking rather handsome for me.

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

* * *

><p>The next couple of nights were a bit rough for both Joe and I. We both were trying to get through the nightmares that were haunting us as we went to sleep. I thought my own demons were bad, but Joe was too suffering. But he was trying to be more optimistic for me to help me get better. It was clearly seen on his face when he woke up in the mornings, the bags under his eyes and how he would blink slowly. He was too stubborn to show his own suffering, and I wanted to break that from him.<p>

I could hear him wake up screaming from Owen's room, having me bolt over to the room and shoot the door open. He would sit up in the bed, head in his hands and shaking with sobs escaping out of him, shaking his head back and forth as I walked over to him in a brisk pace. I would engulf him in my arms, feeling shake in my embrace as I would rock him back and forth, trying to get the nightmares out of his head.

"It's only a dream, love." I reassured him over and over into his sweat soaked hair, feeling him hold me close in a vise grip and not letting me go until his cries were no long run his system. He would go back to sleep, and I would wait and watch him, making sure that he was fine and safe. For so long my father would do the same for me, watch me and take care of me. And now Joe, as much as he tried to take care of me and have me no lift a finger, needed someone to take care of him and protect him from his own demons.

But I would have my own nights of terror.

_I was running again, going through the town of Carentan and hearing someone call out for a medic. They sounded desperate, and I was running through the small town and dodging the fallen buildings and glass that was surrounding me. The sounds were still real, the way I was running felt real, and the way I was breathing through my running even felt real. I could see the debris flying around me, hear the gunshots and feel the wind against my face as I was running for dear life. But as I got to the center of the square of Carentan, I came to a halt and stopped where I was, frozen to see something in front of me that made me almost scream._

_A bloody Grant with his head caked in blood and part of his head blown off._

_He was standing there in front of me, looking right at me and then reaching out one hand towards me as if he wanted me to take his hand. I heard him open his mouth and call my name, but it was no his voice that came out of his mouth at all. I was shocked to hear Joe's voice, of all the voices that would haunt me, call out my name from Grant's mouth. My heartbeat was then heard fifty times louder, having me slam my eyes shut and pray that I would wake up. I said it over and over again: wake up, wake up!_

But when I opened my eyes, I was back in New Orleans, but in the of my house and in the middle of the field that was there. I was wearing my nightgown, my hair framing my face and blowing in the wind as I was in the darkness outside my house. I could hear the grasshoppers and the fireflies in he distance, the soft wind in the grass and I could feel the dirt under my feet. How did I get out here? Was I sleepwalking? I was frozen in my spot, my arms in a rigid position and my legs were stiff and stern on the ground. I blinked a few times, to make sure that I knew where I was.

"Marley?" I heard Joe's voice, and I looked behind me. He was standing a good twenty feet away from me, wearing his boxers and a gray shirt, his bed hair and his concerned eyes were there. He had his hands out in front of me, as if to calm me down or as if he was trying to communicate with a horse. I had no clue, but to see him watch me with fear made me slowly breathe out finally, though my legs and feet were frozen in where they were.

"What happened?" I asked him aloud in a confused tone, seeing him walk over to me and his eyes never leaving my face.

"You woke up and bolted out of your room, throwing your door open and I heard it bang against the wall. You ran like a bat out of hell," he explained slowly, having me watch him as he was walking over to me carefully and at a slow pace as if he didn't want to spook me. I tried to remember how I got out here, but I didn't. I could only picture myself back at the battle and hear the voices and noises there, "Marley, you were sleepwalking."

"I was dreaming about Carentan," I started, seeing him reach out and take my hand in his, lacing our fingers together as he pulled me over to him gently, "I could hear someone screaming for a medic."

"You're gonna be okay, sweetheart." Joe reassured me, still listening but trying to love on me as he carefully picked me up in his arms, my hands were around his neck as he carried me bridal style back to my house carefully and with ease. He had no struggle in carrying me since I was still underweight and struggling to eat. I might have felt like a feather in his lanky arms, though I knew he and strength from the army.

"Grant was there…with his head blown off and he was trying to reach out to me." I kept going with my rambling as Joe walked me into the house and up the stairs, having me blink against his chest.

"What else happened? Tell me," Joe said to me as he got me back into my room and over into my bed. I looked, seeing the sheets in my bed were thrown clear off and tangled up, "Come on, Marley. What else was there?"

"Just the buildings falling around me, I could feel the glass scratch at me….it was so real…" I murmured as he placed me back on the bed gently, my head back on the pillow and he was about to move away from me when I clutched his hand tightly in my own. I held him there, looking over my shoulder at him and seeing him kneeling on the bed and looking down at me with the concern in his eyes and face.

"Stay with me, please." I pleaded with him in a broken tone. Joe nodded his head, melting down and being behind me, wrapping his arm around me while pulling the covers over the both of us. I didn't care anymore if we were in the same bed, we both needed to just hold each other again to get over the fact that sleep was now our worst enemy.

"I love you, and it's gonna be okay." Joe whispered to me as we both were silent in my bed again. We fell asleep holding each other, hearing the sounds of the night and our breathing evening out again. This was getting to the point where we needed to get out of this house and find the rest of Easy Company to see where they were when it came to recovering.

We had to find our brothers again.


	37. Chapter 37

I closed the trunk of the car, stretching my back and looking back at the house once more from my spot. It was late morning, and after eating a large breakfast and cleaning up the rest of the house, Joe and I decided to start our roundtrip around the country to find the rest of Easy Company. Archer was already in the backseat of the car, coming along since the Easy Company men loved him as much as they loved me. He was now going into his adult stage when it came to size: though he was still his playful self and was beyond excited to be sitting in a car with us. I left a note for my parents to tell them where we were going and I would call as soon as they get back, which was within a few days to be precise. I needed this, I needed to get away from the house and not be cooped up for a bit and go find the rest of Easy Company to see how they were doing.

I wore another summer dress, floral print and my low heels with my hair pulled back in pins. There was some part of me wanting to just change back into my army clothes when I was going to see Easy Company, since that's all I wore around them. What would they think when I would pull up in a dress and with my hair in curls and not hidden underneath my helmet? Would they see me differently? Would they judge me? I got worried now, how this whole reunion thing was going to happen as I heard the front door open and close, looking up and over at Joe who was walking down the porch steps.

He wore his button shirt shirt and his slacks and sneakers, the same outfit he wore the first day he was here, and his brown locks were almost touching his face now as he walked down with his own army bag in hand. I smiled at him, seeing him rather handsome in his clothes that were not army clothes, since those clothes nearly swallowed him from being so big. When he approached me, he grinned from ear to ear as he tossed the bag in the backseat of the car and then walking over to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his embrace to give me a soft kiss against the lips. I hummed in agreement, kissing him back and then pulled back to see him up close.

Something about being this close to him, holding him in my arms and kissing him into oblivion, made me wish that we were alone in a bed together. What a lustful thing to think, but after tiptoeing around others and being our affections very low key for the last 4 years, was there going to be a lustful ending for the both of us? Did Joe want to…with me? I would think so since he was a young man and how he would hold me would give me a silent sign that he wanted to go farther with me. Where we even ready for something like that? I felt selfish, holding back so many times from going beyond our boundaries with him, was he deprived?

"You okay to go?" He asked me with a loving smile, having me nod my head and look back at the car one more time.

"Yeah." I replied to him, having me feel him kiss the side of my head and then walk away from me to the driver's side of the car, getting in and starting the engine as I looked at the house up and down. This was a safe haven, there was no doubt. But I also knew safe havens also had dark secrets held there, and this house was no exception. I knew that I was safe here, but I was still suffering under the protected blanket of my family's love and care for me. This was a start of me needing to get away and go out on my own for once, to find my own sense of protection and safety out of the four walls that were once my home. So I turned and went into the passenger seat of the car, feeling Joe take my hand in his hand have me smile at him as he eyed me, his other hand on the wheel.

"Doc first?" He asked, having me grin from ear to ear from the mere thought of seeing my best friend from the company and being able to talk to him again.

"Doc first."

* * *

><p><strong>Joe's POV<strong>

_I was dreaming again, but this time it was more of a memory than a nightmare. I was still in my shirt and pants that I was in when we left Marley's house, but I was walking through the winter hell that was Bastogne. But, I wasn't cold, nor was I afraid. I was just walking, like I was on some kind of stroll through a part. There were soldiers running around me, guns in hand and coming to and from the line of fire as the guns were being shot off in the air. I must of been some kind of ghost in the scene, since no one was looking at me and seeing me, but running by me and trying to stay alive through the gunfire and the trees exploding around them. It felt odd, not being in my uniform and running for my life with them, since I saw all of the Easy Company faces: Malarky and Bull, Luz and Dike even, Spiers and Buck with Winters and Nixon. They were all running from the gunfire coming to way, and I could see blood._

_Lots of blood._

_But then I heard it, the one cry that would have me look around in confusion. It was Babe to who cried "Medic!" his voice was piercing and was in pain, maybe he was hurt. I had no clue, but I was frozen in my spot as I saw someone running over to the cry of help. They were sprinting, almost as if it was in slow motion and I saw the red cross on the arm and the satchel across the cheat. At first I thought it was just another M_edic_, but I saw the red hair against the pale freckled neck that made me loose my breath and look with wide eyes:_

_Marley._

_"Hang on Babe." She said to him and she slid on her knees, pulling him close as we saw he had a busted leg that was pouring out blood and he looked like he wasn't going to make it. I had no choice but to watch from my spot as she wen tot work on his leg, though hew as writing in pain there was no look of defeat on her face._

_Marley was swift, going back and forth in her satchel and to the leg, placing the powder on the wound and then giving him the morphine in order to numb the leg. As I watched her, seeing her _stitch up_ the wounded limb and the grenades going off around her, I noticed that she was not moved by them. There was no flinching in her face or on her skin, she was too engrossed with saving Babe's leg that nothing else mattered in that moment. I saw her then in a brand new light. I knew she was a good medic, but I never once really saw her in the line of fire tending to a _soldier_, only running to and from and hearing the praises from the other men whom she saved. This was both scary and fascinating to watch right in front of me, though I knew she could not see me._

_Her face was stern, seeing the wound and having me see that she was now in nursing mode. Her perfect moth hands that were scattered with freckles and pale were now stained red, but whew as not moved by it. She went to work on his leg, stitching it up and having me hear Babe grunt every once in awhile in pain._

_"You're going to be fine, Babe. Don't worry." She explained in a stern tone, but it sounded soothing coming from a female. I thought Doc was good with his hands when it came to soothing, but he had nothing on her when it came to comfort. I could see that Babe was clamming down from both feeling her fingers against his skin and hearing her soothing but demanding tone to calm down. Why didn't I give her enough credit before? She finished with his leg, helping him sit up and have me watch Babe look at her in adoration with his injured but much better leg._

_"Thank you, Red." He thanked her in his Philly accent, though it sounded sincere. She smiled getting up to squat on her toes and rest her red hands on the knees of her uniform._

_"It's my job Babe." She replied, then getting up to spring off to the next person who was screaming for help. I watched her, not being able to reach out and kiss her, to tell her that I loved her and I was more proud of her than anything. She just ran off, as if it was another day for her in the army. She never took one compliment from the men, and yet she thought she was no good enough for us. How dare she think that, since she was one of the very few we had that would literally run into danger to protect us and make us safe._

_But I knew deep down every member of our company loved her beyond that fact. We loved her sassiness, her quick wit when it came to jokes and conversation, how she kept us grounded in our morals and kept us in check with our tempers, and even gave us a sense of love that only a female friend would give. We all were protective of her when it came to other men who were trying to hurt her, mostly that one soldier whom was drunk and insulted her, and Cobb who wanted her to die in Bastogne with his drunken mind and wicked lies. We all fought to keep her with us, and we showed her that her doubts were lies. Luz showed her, as did Bull, Webster and Malarky. I wanted to show her the most, that she was more than a pretty face to me. She was my everything. I had to show her, I was going to show her._

I woke up from my dream, seeing that my arm was my pillow against the window as we were driving down the dirt road and the sun was over us again. Blinking a few times, I could see the scenery fly by us and the wind in my hair. Archer was in my lap, his head too was on the door with his head out of the window and looking at the field rolling by us. That dream was both pleasant and scary: pleasant since it was no nightmare and I saw Marley, but frightening since I was lost in it like a ghost and I had no way of controlling it. I sighed in relief, glad that it was in a dream and something that I would not have to look back on, having me look over to see Marley at the wheel.

She was looking ahead at the road, one hand on the wheel and the other out the window, her fingers in the air moving around to see the wind against her fingers. I watched her red hair in the wind, blowing it past her face and the curly hair now looking like long locks that were now wavy and her cool dark green eyes were somehow shining brighter since the sun was on her face. I smiled, thinking of how I got so damn lucky with her. She took all of my pains and burdens, all of my cockiness and how I was a hothead when it came to the Germans, and she moved it around in my life in order to have me be a better person. It was I who didn't feel like I was good enough for her, since my demons come over me every once in awhile when I would snap at the others in our company and turn into something filled with hatred.

Finally she looked over at me, a smirk was on her face to show that she was content on where we were when it came to driving into a car going to Eugene Roe's house to see both him and Babe. Something came over me then, having me break out into my smile and seeing her smile back at me. We never needed mooch, Marley and I. We didn't need sex, though before I went into the war that's all I thought about. With Marley it was different, so much different that we just needed to find each other's eyes in order to find home again.

"You okay?" She asked me, looking back at the road for one second before going back to looking at me. I just smiled, nodding my head and thinking that I was the luckiest son of a bitch in the world with Marley in my life. She was stronger than me, smarter than me, and a damn great woman in general. But she saw me as more than a Jewish kid from California, she saw me as her other half.

"I'm fine." I replied back to her in my light tone, seeing her grin at me and reached over with her spare hand, grabbing my own hand in hers and kissing the back of it in a loving manner. We were both content with one another, driving on a dirt road through Louisiana and just being normal people for once.

Being ourselves.

* * *

><p><strong>Marley's POV<strong>

We parked the car in front of Doc's house, which was a one story house that was rather big but looked a bit run down on a small patch of green grass around the house. We were now in his hometown of Plaquemine, which was much smaller and more of a lumber town than New Orleans. But I could see some of the Louisiana flare around the area, The Mississippi River cut through the town and the bayou was around the grass and low hills. By the time we got there, the sun was hanging lower and lower near the hill that was right behind Doc's house as Joe and I got out of the car, letting Archer out and seeing him run around the car to stretch his legs. After I slammed the door shut, I could hear one whistle coming from the house and both Joe and I looked, smiled breaking out on our faces as we saw the Philly redhead coming out of the house with a big grin on his face.

Babe.

"Look who it is." He said in a smile, hands shoved in his pockets as he walked out of the house and over to us. I missed his innocent face, how it was so simple and so encouraging with his smile. He too looked odd without his uniform on, though he was dressed casually and I grinned from ear to ear and we met up in the middle, feeling him give me a big hug and lift me off the floor. I squealed from his action, hearing him chuckle as he placed me back on the floor and looked at me up and down. I did the same, seeing how thin he looked and a bit damaged from his own battle with PTSD.

"You're looking like hell, La Noux." he said to me in a chuckle, having me playfully punch him in the shoulder and then hug him once more.

"And you look handsome, you jerk." I said to him, seeing him roll his eyes and then move over to shake hands with Joe. As they were shaking hands and saying hello, I saw someone else coming out of the house and a bigger grin was on my face, my heart was tugging at the heart strings and my breath leaving me from seeing my best friend there. He walked over, a look of relief on his face as within seconds, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me without saying a word or two. I hugged him back, breathing out in relief as we were having our own moment together.

Eugene Roe and I were united again.

"I've missed you, _Gingembre._" Doc whispered into my ear as we hugged, not moving from our spots as we were just drinking each other in. I have missed him too damn much, since we were practically attached by the hip since day one at Camp Toccoa. Even though I and Joe to help me with some of the pains, I always had Doc to also bring me back to reality. I smiled finally, talking back to him after a solid minute of just hugging each other.

"You have no idea who much I've missed you."

* * *

><p>Doc and I were sitting in the kitchen, the back door wide open and Babe and Joe were out in the back with beers in hand, talking to each other and laughing with each other. It was good to see the both of them talking and chatting like they were long lost friends. I was just glad to be back with Doc, whom brought me into his house like the gentleman that he was and got me some tea. We stayed inside, but talking with each other with gentler tones compared to Babe and Joe.<p>

"So it's just you here?" I asked him aloud, seeing him shake his head with his smile on his face.

"It was my mom and dad, but now it's just my sister and me," He explained to me, having me nod my head as I took a long drink from his tea, "They're thinking of moving out of this town since they're both retired."

"And you're going to go back into construction?" I asked him in wonder.

"Probably. They need some construction workers out here." Doc went on with his life, having me see him watch me now carefully as he took his own sip from his tea. I hated seeing that look, since he would give the look of seriousnesses and how he was analyzing me from his spot.

"How are you, _gingembre_?" He asked me, his voice was curious with his thick Louisianan accent, "You didn't write back."

"I apologize for that," I said to him in a low tone, looking out the window at the hills behind his house and feeling the warmth of the sun touching my face, "I've been dealing with my own demons since I came home. It's been hard to sleep, and I can't eat at all." I could see Doc watching me, seeing the hurt in his eyes when I was talking about how I was suffering and getting the past nightmare coming over my skin. He said nothing at first, though he then looked down at his folded hands on the table.

"Babe has been able to sleep through the whole night since he came down to visit," Doc explained to me, having my eyes move over to Babe whom was laughing at a snide comment Joe told him, the both of them were busting out laughing and the sound was ringing in the backyard, "And sometimes I can't either. Someone is yelling out for help in my dreams, and I can't help but yell out back."

"I hate it," I stated out loud, without thinking about it as I looked back over at Doc and saw him watch me again, "I can't eat anything at all without getting sick, and the other night Joe saw me sleepwalking. We don't know when we are going to be better again." He nodded his head, reaching over the table to gently place his hand on my arm that was resting on the top of the table and rubbing it gently with his fingers to soothe me. I have missed his soothing rubs against my skin and just hearing his voice, since he voice reminded me of home.

"It's going to be fine in time, Marley," he reminded me as I saw him give me a small smile of reassurance, "And you have Joe to help you through this. I know he would now let you suffer, not when I knew he care about too much." As he said this, I saw myself drifting my eyes over to Joe and see him talk to Babe with a smirk on his face. It was true, he was not going to let me suffer my itself, and there was nothing that going to have him stray away from him. He then looked over at me, taking a drink from the beer bottle in his hand and giving me the infamous wink that he has given me over a million times since we have met. I smiled, drinking in the fact that we were stuck together for the rest of our lives, having both a serious and funny relationship with one another.

"Yeah, I think I'll keep him." I said in an amused tone, having me hear Doc chuckle next to me and I grinned as well. It was just nice to have some of my friends back together again, a sense of lightness was over the fours of us as we ate dinner together that night together around the table, sharing the good memories of the war and how we had light moment with each other. I even laughed at some of the jokes Babe talked aloud, seeing Doc grin from his spot next to me.

This was peace, and it was only the beginning.

Babe and Doc were sleep at one side of the house, Doc in his parents's old bed and Babe taking Doc's old bed. I was sleeping in a spare room that they had, a queen sized bed that was one Doc's grandmother's before she passed, so they used the room for guests that would come. Joe was going to crash on the couch, and he didn't mind at all since the couch was big enough to have two people sleep on it comfortably. I insisted he would take the bed, but he refused and made sure I was on a bed whether I liked it or not. Archer was in a closed off fenced area in the backyard with some toys and a bowl of water and his food.

I wasn't able to sleep that night, sitting on top of my bed Indian style and looking down at my hand while my mind was too occupied with Joe again. I though again, once again, one how we both never had a real moment alone together. We didn't have any excuse to hide anyone, to go into the shadows just to kiss and hold each other. Now it was up to me to make some kind of move with him since I knew Joe wasn't going to make a move on me in order to make me feel better. He may be a hothead and a lose canon with his mouth and how he talked to people, but he was different with me. With me, he was careful and he was kind.

I heard the door opening, having me look up and see Joe poking his head in and a smile was back on my lips. He creeped onto the room, closing the door behind him and then walking over to the bed with the floor underneath in him creaking with his toes making contact.

"Can't sleep." he said aloud, having me see a grin on his face as he sat down across from me on the bed, Indian style just like me.

"Me neither," I replied back, "But I think I lucked out with having a bed here when you have the couch.

"Well, the couch is not that bad." he countered with me, having me then give him a coy smile as I leaned over at me him slightly. I didn't want even think about how this could play out badly, which I don't think it would. I was just thinking about Joe, here with me, and all that we have already gone through together as a couple and as best friends. Joe stayed still as I leaned into him, a glint on my eye.

"Then don't go back to the bed. Stay in here….with me." I suggested in a low tone, having me see the grin on his face go from nice and playful to a smirk with a hint of love behind it. He could see what I was trying to do with him, and he slowly grabbed one of my hands in his.

"Oh really?" He asked me in his playful tone, having me nod my head and keep my eyes on him as he was pulling me over to him. There was something that was coming over me, over the both of us really, and once we locked eyes and silently telling each other that it was okay: we were done for.

We fell.

I didn't know who made the first move, but we were then kissing each other on the bed and our hands were everywhere. Joe's hands were in my hair as I pulled off his shirt, kissing his neck and skin and then feeling him do the same in return. It's been years, and for some reason it hit us both like a hurricane and we were not going to back down from it for any reason at all. We weren't even rushing it at all, there was no heated quick session that was needed. But we needed to just let go of what we both have been wanting to do with each other for what seems like forever. As we fell back on the bed under the sheets, booming one that night with gasps and whispers of love on each other's skin with chapped lips, it was so real for me that I knew this was no dream.

This is what I wanted and feeling it in his kisses and how we had sex that night, Joe wanted this too. But it wasn't a big concept of lust, though it had something to do with it.

It was a concept of us loving each other and now being able to finally show it.


	38. Chapter 38

I woke up to the sound of the morning coming through the morning, the birds in the trees and the sweet smell of the trees coming through the open window into my room. I slowly opened up my eyes, having me see the closet that was next to the bed and the ceiling, but I was not moving from my spot. Something was holding me there, it was an arm that was draped across my waist on top of the sheets. The hand was smooth and looked content on where it was, somewhat grasping my waist and having me follow the length of the arm to see its origin. There was Joe, sleeping next to me and was facing me with his head against the pillow and his chest somewhat covered from the sheets. I smiled from seeing him, though he was still asleep and having his own smile on his face. What we did the night before, it was something that I've been wanting to do with him for awhile, but never got the courage to do so. Now I felt like I was glowing and the smile I had on my lips never wanted to leave. But my stomach was in need of something to eat, so I had to go with that.

Reluctantly I pulled his arm off of me, seeing him stir a bit but not wake up as I tucked it next to his body, leaning over and kissing him on the head before sliding out of the bed. As soon as I got up from the bed, I realized that I was in fact, naked. This was a bit much for me, having me quickly grab a pair of boxers and my brassiere, then throwing on a spare shirt Joe gave me to wear for pajamas and I walked out of the room quietly, closing the door silently and looking in on Joe one more time. He rolled over to the other side, still asleep and looking more at peace compared to the other couple of nights. I smiled, leaving the room and walking out into the kitchen where there was no noise to be heard.

My own mind was in the clouds from last night, having me remember flashes and images of Joe and I together under the sheets. It was both magical and frightening, since I was a virgin and now I lost it to him. It made me feel blush coming over me since I did, in fact, enjoy it. What was there to dislike about it? He made me feel things that I never thought would come to surface, and I hoped it was the same for him as well. It must have since he too looked like he was beyond enjoying himself. It made me feel a bit proud.

I walked barefoot onto the kitchen, looking up to see Babe was already there, drinking from a mug with coffee and a solemn look on his face. Wearing pajama pants and a black shirt, he was looking at the floor and with no smile on his face. It seemed like he had no sleep, and I wondered what was the cause of that. I slowly walked into the room and moved my hair from my eyes.

"Good morning, Babe." I said to him softly, going over to the coffee pot that had about half of a pot left of coffee in it.

"Mornin', Red." he said to me in a low tone, having me watch him with worried eyes now as I grabbed a mug from the cabinet near the sink.

"You okay?" I asked him, looking back in front of me to pour my drink and fix my coffee. I heard nothing at first, just a heavy sigh and then his feet hustling underneath him.

"Have you ever had the nightmare of someone being shot in front of you?" Babe asked aloud in a curious tone, though it was laced with pain. I froze while I was placing sugar in my mug, thinking about it for a moment or two. I peered my head over slightly in his direction, though he was still looking at the floor.

"You know that I have." I answered him, talking my mug with me as I walked over to the chair across from him, stirring it in and placing the mug on the kitchen table as he then blinked once. Babe took in a deep breath, finally looking over at me and then having me see the pain behind his eyes. I knew he wasn't getting sleep, Doc told me the day before when we were visiting. My heart was tugging for him, wondering what he was seeing when he closed his eyes.

"I thought I was getting better, you know? I mean, I didn't think the dreams were goin' to be so fuckin' terrible until last night." He explained in a grunt, having me see his eyes getting glossy and he rubbed away the tears before they could even escape from them. I only watched him, thinking that he just needed to get this out of his system before he wanted to get comfort. He needed to talk about it, like how I did with Joe.

"What did you see?" I asked him, seeing him eye me then with his bloodshot eyes and he breathed out again a heavy breath.

"I saw Julian….on the ground….spewing out blood and dying in front of me," He explained in a broken tone, having me just watch him as he went on with his dream, "But then…I saw you. You were running to him with your satchel….and you flew in the air from that grenade. I watched you hit the tree….and you died." The last part he spat out bitterly before I saw a tear roll down his cheek and his hands were shaking on his knees. Babe was suffering far worse than I was, I could feel it and see it as he then wiped away the tears.

"I saw Grant in my dream once," I stated to him, seeing him now watch me with big eyes as I took a drink from my coffee, feeling the bitter drink go down my throat, "He was alive, but his head was blown off to bits where the soldier shot him. It was in Carentan, and he was reaching out to me, calling my name but it wasn't his voice. It was Joe's voice, and when I heard it I screamed." I could see it all over again in my mind, the blood and damage on his face and how he was reaching for me with clenching fingers and desperation on his face. I could even hear Joe's voice coming out of Grant's mouth, having me shake it off as Babe was still staring at me

"Is this ever going to go away?" Babe asked in a miserable tone, having me take another sip from my mug and think about it for a moment. I was wondering the same thing: if the nightmares were going to go away ever for me. I and good nights and I had bad nights, so there was never going to be a concrete answer. But I doubted Babe wanted to hear that. he wanted to hear something positive.

"In time, Babe." I merely replied to him, seeing him have a small smile on his face before he then looked down at his left leg, having me look at well.

"You remember when I got hurt in Bastogne?" He asked me aloud suddenly, his voice was no longer bitter but curious as to have me remember the incident with him in Bastogne and how he did get hurt.

"I do." I replied back to him, seeing him take a drink from his coffee again and then smiling from the sheer thought.

"My leg was bleedin' out, getting shot in the calf and I thought I was going to loose the leg really. What a pussy," He said aloud in a smirk, having a smile from seeing him grin. I had to hand it to him: Babe was a young handsome man when he smiled,"And yet you made sure that I wouldn't loose the leg." He then reached down, rolling up the pajama pant on his leg to have me see his calf. I followed him with my eyes, seeing him then show me the scar that was on his calf and it looked rather distinct against his pale calf. It was almost the size of a half dollar, having me watch him look at the scar himself and then leaning back in his chair.

"At least it healed up pretty good," I commented to him, seeing him nod his head, "And you know there was no way in hell I was going to have you lose your own leg out there."

"I never thanked you for that." He said to me, having me shake my head.

"Of course you did, right after I patched you up. Remember?" I asked him.

"That was just because I was in the heat of the moment," Babe countered with me, having me eye him and see what he was trying to do, "I just….never properly thanked you…for just keeping us boys alive." I looked at him now with nothing to say at all. He wanted me to know how much I meant to not only him, but with the rest of Easy Company. He gave me a small smile, the kind of smile that would warm any person's heart and ease their soul.

"Thanks, Babe." I merely replied to him, seeing him only smile at me in return as I heard footsteps coming into the kitchen. I looked and saw it was Doc, coming from his room on the other side of the house with his black hair messy. He yawned, seeing the both of us and then going over to grab his own coffee.

"_Bonjour._" He said aloud in a grumble.

"Good mornin' to you too, Doc." Babe replied to Doc, looking away from me and grabbing his mug, taking a big drink from it as I smiled at Doc. He poured his drink, slowly and he cracked his back from where he was against the counter, something I remember him doing when he woke up in the mornings in either a foxhole or in a dark hidden place.

"So, I take it Joe didn't like the couch?" Doc asked aloud, facing away from me but having me hear the hint of curiosity in his tone as I paused before taking my drink from my mug. Did he know what happened? Could he listen? What an embarrassment. I watched him carefully, holding the mug to my lips as he then faced me with a smirk on his face and taking his drink from his own mug, watching me with eyes that showed that he knew something about me that I wished was not going to be exposed.

"Doc.." I trailed off carefully.

"Who am I to say where he sleeps, though from the looks of how your hair looks and that one hickey on your neck," Doc explained with his gleeful smirk, having me freeze and then carefully reach up to my neck, feeling the sensitive skin there and the evidence of a mark Joe left on me, "He liked the bed better." Babe started to snicker from her spot in front of me as Doc just grinned as if he had his own personal victory. I glared at the both of them as Babe was just snickering in his chair.

"_Ne commencez pas avec moi_." I warned him in a bitter tone, having me see him shake his head and hold up his spare hand in defeat and surrender.

"You two are adorable together." Babe commented in a gleeful tone, having me kick him lightly under the table and see him almost spill his coffee.

"You don't start either, Babe." I warned Babe now, Doc walking over and sitting at the chair to my left, leaning his elbows on the table and just grinning from ear to ear. This felt like I was a teenager all over again, being teased from having a romantic night and having evidence on my neck for it.

"I'm not going to make a big deal out of it," I explained to the both of them from my chair, "And I don't think Joe wants to either."

"And we're not going to either…it's just cute for you two." Doc replied to me, having me watch him now and see that the playful teasing smirk that he and moments ago was gone and his friendly smile was back on his tried face. He too looked worn down and older, thanks to the war and him running around as a medic. He still and some youthfulness in his face and eyes, but they were being overtaken by the worn bags under his eyes and the tattered skin from scars and restless nights.

"I'm only going to take that was a compliment, thank you." I replied to Doc, seeing him nod his head once as I finished the mug in my hand.

"We should head out into town today for lunch, and we can grab some food for dinner. I'm thinking catfish." Doc explained, changing the subject and having me see Babe eye him from next to me.

"Catfish?" He asked, having me hear the hint of curiosity in his voice. Both Doc and I looked over at him, thinking that it was odd that he was confused with the notion of eating catfish, since that was a regular dish here in the South.

"I have to get you acquainted with the Louisiana lifestyle, Heffron." Doc said back to him with a hint of annoyance, almost rolling his eyes and having me giggle. I got up from the chair, stretching out my back and ruffling my hair now with my fingers.

"You guys let me know when we're heading into town." I explained to the both of them, walking away from the boys and back over to the bedroom, wondering if Joe was was still asleep.

"Let Joe know how to properly do a hickey, will ya?" Babe asked in a snide remark though I knew he meant well. I just flipped him off while I walked away from him, hearing Babe chuckle as he started talking to Doc again. He was a good friend to Babe, a great one since they started talking together in Bastogne. It made me glad Doc had someone else to be around other than myself.

I walked back over to the bedroom, pushing it open and having me see Joe sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his head and taking in a deep breath. He was wearing clothes again, his own pair of boxers and a sleeveless shirt, showing his lanky muscles and arms along with his neck and collarbone. I walked into the room, closing the door behind me and then seeing him look over at me. Once they were making eyes with one another, something inside my chest was going to burst into a million pieces and flutter out of my mouth. I was suddenly a teenager all over again, having me wish that I wasn't feeling this way from just seeing him there on top of the bed.

"I was wonderin' where you were since I woke up alone." Joe explained in his raspy morning voice, having me smirk at him and walk over to sit next to him on the bed, getting close with him and seeing him take my hand in his, the smile never leaving his face. Even in the morning he was still handsome in my eyes.

"I had to get my coffee in, and Doc and Babe are awake." I explained to him aloud, having me notice him then look over to my neck, seeing the evidence from our night together and then reaching up to touch it gently with his finger. Once he had contact with the skin, I shivered.

"Damn, I did a number on you," He commented, having me just shake my head, "I should be more careful."

"You should, since both Doc and Babe are now teasin' me about it." I said back to him, seeing him lower his hand from my neck and then look a bit uncomfortable now from the notion that I was getting teased by both Doc and Babe. I saw it in his eyes, the look of both protection over me and the annoyance of teasing in general. Squeezing his hand in my own, I got his attention back to me as I just smiled at him to show that this was nothing for me.

"Don't worry about it," I reassured him, seeing him look at me with his eyes and search me for the truth I was saying, "It's nothing with those two. They know that we mean well, and you know fully well that they are mostly like my little brothers when it comes to something like this." He slowly nodded his head, now no longer bothered and then sighing. After a moment or two of silence, the both of us sitting together on the bed and basking in the afterglow of what we did, he then looked over at me with intrigue all over his face.

"What we did last night…" he trailed off, looking like he as struggling with what he wanted to say as I looked at him with interest, "Was it good enough?"

"Good enough?" I asked him, clearly confused as to what he was trying to understand.

"Was what we did….oh shit….was it nice enough for ya?" he asked me in a struggle with his voice and on his face. I then broke out into a grin, seeing what he was trying to figure out. He wanted to know if I enjoyed myself last night, and it would be seen on his face that he was self-conscious about what I was feeling for him last night in the bed and with our moment. I carefully placed my hand on his face near his jawline, seeing him just watch me with big eyes and with wonder behind them. How could he think he was no good enough for me when it came to sex?

"You were amazing," I replied to him, my smile never leaving my face as he smiled at me finally, the insecurities he had were washing away, "I thought I was the one who thought they weren't good enough for you."

"Are you kiddin' me?" He asked me with a wide grin, "You were mind blowin', Marley." We both grinned at each other then, having me feel like a school girl with her crush so close to her. It was good that we both talked about it, how we both were feeling about each other even after we had sex. I leaned in a kiss him square on the mouth, hearing him hum against my lips and then kiss me back. This was more simple for the both of us, no need for lust at that moment as we pulled away from one another. Joe ran some of his fingers in my hair as we were still close enough to kiss, but kept out distance.

"You taste like coffee." He stated to me in a whisper.

"Does it bother ya?" I asked him with a hint of coyness. He grinned, shaking his head from side to side.

"Not one bit."

* * *

><p>I woke up in the dead of night to someone walking on the hardwood floor of the house, having me move a bit from my spot in bed and where Joe was, since he was sleeping next to me with his arm around my waist. I listened, wondering where that sound was coming from and then I heard the front door opening, having me sit up from my bed and Joe's arm fall away from me. He woke up from that action, though my own thoughts were concerned as to who was walking in the house in the middle of the night. It didn't feel right, and as the front door slammed close I snapped my head over to the window where the front of the house was, seeing nothing at first but hearing the crickets at night.<p>

"What is it?" Joe asked in a groggy tone, but my eyes saw someone running into the front yard, hand reaching out and looking like they were trying to reach a ghost. I shivered, knowing that body and then feeling my heart drop.

Doc. Oh god no.

"Doc." I said aloud, shooting off the bed and the sheets flying off of me as I hit the hardwood floor with my feet. I moved away from the bed, hearing Joe get up as well but slowly compared to me. I was already out of our room and at the front door, opening it and seeing Doc out there in the front yard, no longer walking but frozen in his spot. I moved out of the house, walking out to see him there, looking away from me as if he was frozen in his spot. I could hear two more pairs of feet behind me, knowing that it was Babe and Joe who were watching as well as I waited, wondering what Doc was going to do next.

He was sleepwalking, I could see it in his stance and how he was slowly trying to figure out what was happening around him. Was he hearing the same things that I heard? I had no clue, and it scared me as he then slowly looked over his shoulder at me. His dark eyes that were usually filled with comfort and warmth were now dark and petrified. I held out both hands to him, open and up as he was looking as if he was about to break into tears.

"You're okay Doc." I reminded him, telling him the same thing Joe told me as he too comforted me from my own sleepwalking. I heard nothing behind me, but I knew Joe and Babe were shocked from what they were seeing. Doc looked defeated, which was not a look we were used to.

"Someone needed help, _Gingembre._" Doc said in a small broken tone, having me nod my head at him as I walked over to him. He was watching me, still in shock from his sleepwalking as I was close enough to reach out to him. But I wanted him to reach me, to make that step since I knew he would be too scared to just move from his spot.

"_Revenez à moi, mon ami._" I said to him softly, seeing him looking at my hand and taking a shaky breath. This was killing me, seeing him so broken when he was the stronger one between the both of us as he then carefully touched my hand with his sweaty fingers. I smiled at him, feeling him grip me tightly and slowly walk over to me. When he was close enough, he collapsed in my arms, the both of us falling to the ground in a grunt.

I could hear Joe and Babe jog over to see if we were hurt, but Doc just clutched me, weeping into my shirt as I was cradling him in my arms. My head against his, having me kiss his black hair as his grip on me was so tight that he was afraid that this was another nightmare that he was going through. I started to rock him back and forth, on the floor in front of his house under the moonlight as Babe and Joe looked on. Softly I sang into his hair, knowing he can hear and maybe the two others could too. But he needed to hear it, the same song my mother sang to me as I was suffering in front of her.

_Tomorrow will be brighter,_

_It's true, I've seen it before_

_A brighter day is coming my way_

_Yes, tomorrow will be kinder_


	39. Chapter 39

"Aye! It's my favorite Ginger and Jew!" Both Joe and I rolled our eyes as we were greeted by none other than George Luz in front of his apartment out in Rhode Island, which was a huge change of scenery for the both of us since I was so used to Louisiana. It was a bit cooler here, with a lot more colors and the Atlantic ocean there for us to see as we drove along the Eastern Coast. We were going to stay with Luz for a day or two before we would then make our way over to Bull in Arkansas. Luz had his home near the ocean, which somehow suited him because he was more of a lively person like the waters there.

I had to make sure Doc was going to be okay before we left Doc and Babe there. Joe and I left a day after Doc's sleepwalking incident, and it pained me to leave him behind since someone else to could happen to him. But after hugging Babe goodbye, he looked at me dead in the eye and I saw the seriousness in his face and eyes on me.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to him, Red. You can trust me, I'll take care of him." Babe vowed to me, having me feel a bit better about the whole thing with Doc. I made him promise to say hello to Bill Guarnene for me, since they both were from Philly and were talking on a regular basis at this point. He said he would, which made me happy.

Doc was still suffering, as I was, and for him being my best friend it would be best for him to stay with another Easy Company member who knew about his demons. Doc hugged me goodbye, though I reassured him that he was going to come to my house when we were down with our road trip around America. He was looking forward to it, having me see the sweet smile on his face.

"Get better for me, okay?" I asked Doc in a loving tone, till holding him close as we were hugging each other in front of the car, Babe and Joe were saying goodbye and then Babe was snuggling Archer in his arms.

"Only for you, _Gingembre_." Doc replied back to me in a soothing manner, having me feel him kiss the side of my head and I smiled though the hug. So now, three days later and constant driving and staying in motels, we made it to Rhode Island and to the house of George Luz. I was glad to see the humorous man from Easy Company again, and he still looked the same since I saw him at the train station.

Joe and I walked over from the car to see him meet us in the middle on the deserted street. He was living in an apartment on his own, though he was still meeting up with his siblings and his parents every once in awhile and was now working his new job. He looked good, compared to what I was picturing in my head since he too looked older. He then looked past us, Joe and I looked too and having all three of us seeing Archer wagging his tail like a crazy pup, leaning down low and ready to pounce on Luz with his tongue out and a smile on his face. Luz grinned so widely that it made me see all of his teeth, kneeling down and holding out his hands for Archer.

"Look at this scabber! What in the hell are you feedin' him?" He said in glee as Archer ran over to him, pouncing on him and having him fall over with Archer licking at his face. Luz laughed as he rubbed Archer all over his body, having me watch with a smile on my own face and then feel a arm go around me from behind, a hand on my hip and pulling me close to a body. It was Joe, who saw me smiling at the sight of Archer playfully attacking Luz, and he must have felt joy from seeing a smile on my face. We both were glad to have some kind of happiness in our lives at this point since we were slowly coming out the haze of pain and nightmares.

"And you two look pretty damn good." Luz commented to both Joe and I, pointing to each of us with a smug look on his face. I just smirked at him and shook my head, having me see out of the corner of my eye Joe glaring at him and wanting nothing more to just chew him out. Luz chuckled, walking over to me finally and placing his hands on my shoulders, eyeing me up and down and then having me watch him carefully to see what he was going to do.

"I kind of like this new look on you: the hair and the the dress," Lux explained aloud in a light smirk, having me suddenly blush since he sounded so sincere in front of me, "Though I am use to the army boots and uniform, you should keep dressing up more often."

"Take it easy big guy." Joe playfully warned him, having me see Luz eye him and then laugh, clapping him on the shoulder and having the scene there be light again. It was never dull with Luz, and I was glad for that.

"Come on, let's go inside and grab a beer." He said to the both of us, having us follow him over to the apartment building that was there. Something about being in the same presence as George Luz made everything around us brighter and less of a nightmare, whether it was his smile or his accents that would make even the coldest heart melt, but none the less he was a unique character in Easy Company.

* * *

><p>That night we went out to go see a movie in town, which was perfect since we were going to meet the infamous girlfriend that Luz wrote to me about: Delvina. I was more excited about it than Joe was though he was still nice enough to get himself looking rather nice for the event. I did as well, though I could still see how Luz was still trying to get used to me in a dress and in curls. But I knew he would get used to it and leave me be, that or Joe would threaten him with a black eye. I don't know which one was going to come first.<p>

"Oh, come on. It's a classic movie." I said to Joe as we walked together down the street in town to the movie theater with Luz leading the way, who had a pep in his step. We were going to meet Delvina at the theater and then go in and see Seven Sinners, the same John Wayne flick that we were watching over in the war that Luz knew like the back of his hand.

"But Luz is goin' to quote the whole Goddamn thing." Joe said in a complaint, the both of us having an arm around the other's waist and having me shake my head with a smirk on my own face.

"It was either this movie or a war flick: I doubted Luz would want to take Delvina into seeing one of those when we lived through it. And besides, they would have probably had the whole thing wrong." I explained to him, seeing him smirk from my explanation.

"Eh, that's true." Joe agreed, having me lean up to kiss him in the jaw once and seeing a rush of color on his cheeks.

"Just play nice with Luz, okay? I think he really likes this girl." I insisted with him, seeing him look down with amusement and then nod his head. Before he could say anything, I saw Luz go from being in a walk to a skip since apparently he saw whom he was looking for. I looked as well, seeing a young woman who was a bit younger than, but her face was the sweetest thing I have ever seen. She had honey brown hair, a heart-shaped face and a beautiful smile that lit up when she saw Luz, whom walked over to her and they were talking to each other excitedly. I couldn't help but smile from what I was seeing: that beautiful girl was making Luz smile back at her and they were having a genuine conversation with each other and laughing with one another. This was different from how I saw Luz when we would laugh with one another, he was laughing because of her. He was receiving joy instead of giving it, and that was a pure sight to see. She was radiant, and she was loving on him in a way that made me glad that he was being loved.

"These are my friends from Easy Company, the ones I told you about." Luz said to her as Joe and I finally joined him with Delvina, who smiled widely at the both of us. She had her hands folded in front of her, looking beyond nervous and having me just reach out a hand for her to shake.

"I'm Marley La Noux." I said to her in an introduction, seeing her gently shake my hand in return and her kindness show through her warm eyes.

"It's wonderful to meet you finally. George talks about you constantly." She said to me in such a sweet tone it sounded like the tone of honey if it ever had a tone. I gave her a hesitant look, seeing Luz roll his eyes next to me.

"I hope he doesn't talk about me all the time." I said to her, seeing her shake her head and giggle from her spot as Luz placed as arm around her waist, having me watch and see how he was then looking at her with love in his eyes.

"Don't be full of yourself, Red." Luz commented back to me, "This is her fiancé, Joe Liebgott."

"Nice to meet ya," Joe said in a nice tone, smirking at her as they shook hand as well, "Did he talk about me a whole lot?"

"Well—" Delvina started, but Luz glared at him and then cleared his throat.

"Come on, the movie's gonna start." he said to clear the conversation, having me snicker from the look of hesitance on his face as he steered Delvina over to the ticket booth, Joe and I behind them both. I smiled from seeing how Luz was with her: being genuinly happy and not having to hide behind a face. He never had to do that in the war, but it was nice that he no longer had to cheer others up as if it was some kind of job. As soon as we bought our tickets, I heard Delvina again talk to Luz.

"Hey George, Got a penny?"

Luz snickered as we went into the theater, having me look at her now in surprise as she used the same accent that George did when we were back in the war watching the same movie. Luz just laughed, holding her close and they both sat down next to me. Looking over at Joe, I saw a wide grin on his face, then looking over at me and having me wonder why he would be smiling like that.

"Delvina…I kind of like her." He said aloud in amusement. I grinned, seeing him lean down to kiss me on the lips quickly and lightly.

"Me too, I think he should keep her."

* * *

><p>After we saw the movie, in which this time Luz was mostly silent since he had his arm around Delvina and was just drinking in the fact that he had a girl to call his own, Joe and I went back to the motel that we were staying at while we were visiting him. Though before we left, I saw Luz kiss Delvina goodnight, a gentle kiss against the corner of her mouth and she held onto him a bit tighter than before. It made me smile, since all of his talk about being a big guy full of stamina was now crashing down, all because of one girl. He kissed her in a way that only a husband would kiss his wife: whole heartedly. I was glad for him, seeing that he was going to be okay with someone to help him with reality.<p>

Joe and I were back in the motel room we were staying at, the cool Rhode Island night was outside our window as we were staying up together a bit more before we would go to bed. Archer was staying with Luz since no dogs were allowed at the motel, which was nice for him since he missed the little guy too much. I was fine by me, since I had one less thing to worry about when it came to out venture.

"I'm glad he's happy." Joe said over to me, both of his hands behind his head as he was sprawled out on our bed and I was sitting up, Indian Style and looking at the map in front of us. We had one more day at Rhode Island before we would head over to see Bull in Arkansas, having me plan out how we were going to get there. I looked back at Joe, seeing him smile at me as I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You are?" I asked him in shock, seeing him nod his head.

"Well yeah. Sure he's a pain in the ass sometimes and a bit of a handful, but hey is he's happy then I'm happy." Joe explained, having me just shake my head at his antics.

"You sound like a proud father." I commented to him, looking back at the map and drawing it out with the pen that I had in my hand.

"Thanks for the compliment, _rothaarige Sirene."_ Joe said back in retaliation, though I could hear the smug in his tone. I whirled around, seeing him only grin at me as if he was a child that was caught in an act of defiance, but was fine with it. He was proud of what he said, and he looked like he was ready for anything I was going to throw at him. I glared at him, trying to show I was no one to mess with, but it was no use with him since he was too beautiful with his own grin at me.

"Well, you happen to be a _fils de pure arrogant_." I countered back at him with my French. He then gave me a playful look, a dangerous one as if I was pushing his boundaries. He shot up, being so close to me now and was sitting literally against me as his lips were so close to being on mine as he looked at me with lust over them. My stomach flipped, thinking that I just pushed him over at edge but having no regret with it.

"You know what you do to me when you speak French?" He asked me in a low dangerous tone, having me see that he was trying to push me over the edge with him and making me feel a chill against my skin. I only smirked at him, looking at him up and down and gulping from my spot in front of him. The both of us, on our bed, staring at each other as if we were testing each other limits to see who would break first.

"Do you know what _you _do to me when you speak German?" I replied back in a question to him, seeing him lick his lips and making me watch to touch them with my own.

"You're gonna push it one of these days, La Noux." he warned me, having me feel how dangerously close me was now. He was not touching me with his hands, nor was he going to give me the honor of touching me since he knew what he was doing then. What a cocky bastard. I just smirked at him some more, leaning in a bit more to where our lips were barely touching one another, sending an electric feeling down my spine from the thrill of it.

"I like a challenge with you, Liebgott." I purred against his lips, feeling him smile then and then look down at my lips with his eyes. Something happened to the both of us after we had sex for the first time, it was as if another wall between us was down and our vulnerable sides were out in the open for the other to see. It was something that I still had to get used to, but it was fine since it was with Joe.

Within a second after I said that to him, both of his arms were around me and he pulled me down with him on the bed, me landing on top of him and we were kissing in oblivion again. Both of my legs were on either side of his as he pulled my shirt off, having me now only be in my boxers and my brassiere. I clawed off his shirt as well, hearing him chuckle for a moment before going quiet as I kissed his jawline and neck. One of his hands when to my hair and held my head there as he kissed me and the other hand went to my hip, gripping for dear life.

This was electrifying, having me feel it all over me as we were kissing and loving each other in such a way that was beyond normal. We went from having one conversation that was normal to making out on our bed and that would lead to another blissful moment with him, and as he reached behind my back to unsnap my brassiere to have it slide down my arms and have me exposed to him, I felt no shame. There was no sound of it, not with him, since he was showing me not lust in his kisses and how he made love to me again, but love. I felt love from him, in every gasp from my lips and every movement that our bodies made together. It felt natural for me to do this with him, and I wondered if soul mates felt like this to each other.

God I hope so.

* * *

><p>"When did you get this scar?" I asked him softly, the both of us still in the afterglow and just laying together in the bed. I was on my stomach, my brassiere was back on with my boxers and Joe had his own pair back on too. But we were still riding on that high that we gave each other, and we didn't care about it at all. We were wrapped up in each other, finding comfort and stability in one another as I was laying on my stomach next to him, tracing the faint dent of a scar on his neck as he was looking up at the ceiling, on his back on the bed and his hand was laced with my own that was not occupied.<p>

"Back when we were dealing the with crossroads." Joe explained to me, his voice was raspy now but soft as I looked from the scar over to him. His eyes were on the ceiling, how he said it made me realize what this scar meant to him. I never was there for this, not when we weren't talking to one another.

"After our fight." I breathed out, seeing him say or do nothing as I moved my finger away from his scar and just stared at him. It pained him, taking about a scar that was a memory for them that he wanted to forget. I didn't see him get this because we weren't on speaking terms then. I closed my eyes, feeling foolish to even ask about it when it was making him feel pain all over again.

"The day after," he explained then look over at me and having me see him take our joined hands to move it over to be in front of his eyes, though I dared not to move, "I didn't have the heart to find you then, since I was too damn proud to even confess that I made a mistake."

"Stop beating yourself up over that, Joe." I said back to him in a bold tone, but he shook his head in defiance.

"I can't help it, Marley. It was my damn pride that made us not talk for weeks and those weeks were the worst in all the war. I couldn't talk to my best friend, even look at you and know that what I did to you was wrong. I pushed you away from me…" He trailed off, having me yank our joined hands over to my direction to have him finally look at me. I gave him a stern stare, watching with my eyes and then seeing him watch me too.

"But I am still here with you," I explained to him calmly but with a boldness behind my tone to him, "I too was at fault for our fight. No matter how hard you think you tried to push me away, I came back to you, and now we're right here, okay?" He nodded his head, a small smile was back on his face as I looked back at him lovingly.

"I still don't get how you do that." He commented to me.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Get me to not beat myself up over something I did. You take all that shit away with just that smile of yours." He explained some more to me, "What else is there to know that I don't know?"

"I don't know," I replied back to him in a smile, seeing him grin at me against the pillow and under the sheets, "What _do _ you know about me then? Please enlighten me." I watched as he went to lay on his side, facing me and then placing one arm under his pillow and the other hand still holding my own, watching me carefully with his eyes and then having me feel butterflies with how he was staring at me.

"I know you are brilliant with medicine," He started, having me give him a mock look of surprise, "And you love strawberries, listening to French music and dancing to it gracefully, you also love peanut butter and singing your hymns that remind me of home, your favorite flowers are sunflowers, and your hair smells like rain." Joe said all these things, having me really realize how he was such a complex person, not just one sided. Sure he was full of pride and had some issues to deal with when it came to his temper, but he also had a side of him that was scared to expose to people. He would put up a front around others in order not to be seen as anything less than strong.

"Well, I know you like reading comic books, like Flash Gordon," I stated back to him softly, having me see him watch me carefully as if was exposing him to the world, with waited breath, "And you have a great sense of humor that could make anyone laugh, and you love talking about cars, you have a bit of a thirst for beer, and you have a wonderful spirit about you." Even as I said this, I could feel myself falling more and more for them as we were telling each other all we knew about the other. After all of our talks with one another and how we were becoming closer as friends before lovers, I wanted to know him more and more. Joe just grinned at him, his face filled with that same warmth as he had before, plenty of times when we were alone together.

But then I felt him move his hand from mine, slowly tracing it up my arm to my shoulder and down my sides over my exposed skin, having me stay so still when he then touched the scar there along my rib, the scar from Bastogne and he froze his hand there, placing the hand over it an keeping it there The way he held it there, it was as if he was trying to hide it from the rest of the world.

"I wish I could take this from you." He murmured, looking down at the scar as my own eyes were back on him, having me see once again the hurt on his face from knowing that I got hurt and I had to carry that memory with me for the rest of my life, "The fact that you almost died…right in front of me and I couldn't do a single thing about it."

"Stop dwelling on the past," I said to him softly, grabbing his hand from my hip and taking it back in my hand, placing it between us as I scooted closer to him to watch the pain in his face, "I'm okay and I can love with the fact that no grenade can keep me away from you." He slowly grinned again, having the both of us rest again in peace and no longer be compelled with the past.

This was only the beginning for the both of us, and I was hoping to see what was future was going to hold as Joe's wife.


	40. Chapter 40

"So, you need to fill me in, Red." Luz explained to me as we were both sitting outside of a small cafe in Rhode Island, late in the morning as Luz and I were having breakfast. Joe went off with Archer on a walk, not needing to eat that early. It felt off without him there, but Joe snuck in a kiss on my shoulder as he got up earlier than me, telling me that he needed to go make a phone call with Bull and then call his own parents, since they were more worried about him.

"Fill you in with what, Luz?" I asked him after taking a bite from my toast. We were sitting at a small table, Luz leaning back and looking at me up and down again as I was wrapped up in a jacket and pants along with my own pair of sneakers and my hair up in a ponytail then.

"How you're doing since we came back on the boat," he explained to me, his tone was still light but I knew he wanted to talk about something serious, "Since from I could gather from talkin' to Joe last night, it's been not a smooth ride."

"When did you—" I stopped myself, then realizing what he was talking about. Last night, while we were waiting to get popcorn and pop from the concession stand at the movies, Luz and Joe were talking together and I was with Delvina, getting to know her more. They were talking about me then, which was why I saw Luz look over at me every once in awhile when the movie was playing. I was too wrapped up in the movie and being snuggled into Joe to see how Luz was too watching me with haunting and scared eyes.

"Goddamnit Joe." I muttered, closing my eyes in frustration and mentally kicking myself in the head. When Joe would get back from his trip at the phone call, I would have to have a talk with him.

"Don't blame the kid for caring, Red. He didn't tell me everything, but I figured there was more to it." Luz said back to me in a reassuring manner. I looked back at him through my fingers, seeing him eye me some more from across the small table and then see him take a sip from his orange juice.

"What did he tell you?" I asked him carefully, seeing him shift in his chair as he then looked down at first as if he was trying to find his words.

"That you were sleepwalking, and you were having nightmares of Grant," Luz replied back, having me watch him from my own seat and feeling a bit squeamish that he was knowing all about this, "But hey, that's nothing, really. I know you're a strong enough woman who can take anything thrown at you, right?" The last part was a question of my own will, having me look down at my plate and then think back to the past weeks that Joe and I have been together, all of the restless nights and the flashes of images that were of bloody corpses.

"It was bad at first, Luz. Believe me, I thought I was living a nightmare." I explained to him slowly, seeing him watch me from his spot and eat another piece of his scrambled egg, "There were nights where I was afraid to just close my eyes, because I knew that when I did, I would be back in Bastogne or even in the prison camps." I paused after talking about the camps, having me then think of Joe and his face was filling my brain and seeing the pain on his face.

"Joe would dream of the camps," I breathed out, looking at the plate of food in front of me as Luz was still watching me as I kept talking, "He would see their faces, how they were looking at him as if they had no ounce of hope left in their lives. He tells me that he can hear them, crying out in German for him to help them.." I stopped talking, not thinking of anything else to say or do at that moment since I then pictured the many nights Joe would wake up screaming, sometimes in German. I hated it, since I was now on the receiving end of the situation, seeing someone in pain from a nightmare and somehow trying to find a way to make it better.

"Hey, Red," I heard Luz say at first, but I was too deep in thought with the past burdens, "Look at me, Marley." He finally used my real name, having me look up and over at him. He wasn't looking anywhere else, but me, his hands were still on the table, not touching his plate and his stare at me was more of a friend than of cockiness.

"You are okay." He stated to me, his voice was not laced with cockiness or light jester, but it was serious and honest, "I don't want you to think that you're not okay, you get me?" I knew where he was coming from. He never wanted me to go through the thought of self-denial, to have my insecurities get the best of me and beat myself up over and over until I was literally nothing in the world around me. He knew that was where I was going to go if I didn't have someone to snap me out of it. There was more to Luz than I gave him credit for, much more.

"Are _you _okay?" I asked him, finally breaking the silence that was coming over the both of us. He looked a bit longer at me for a moment, and then I saw him take in his own deep breath before the focus was now going over to him.

"I've had my fair shares of nightmares myself really." Luz replied in a somewhat light tone, trying to make the conversation more pleasant.

"What were they about?" I asked him casually, drinking from my Orange Juice and watching him as he too was thinking about what was haunting him since we saw each other last.

"Bastogne, how Muck died." I was frozen then in my spot, having me see him push some of his food around with his fork and look rather grim about it, "I was there, Red. He was gone within seconds when a grenade went off, and there was nothing we could do. I thought I was bad with it, but Malarky was a wreck, and hasn't been the same since."

"None of us are never going to be the same since," I reminded him, seeing him now looking right back at me and having me feel as though I just slapped him in the face, "It's going to be too fuckin' long until we can all have a somewhat a normal life."

"And who knows how long that will take." Luz commented though I then had a small smirk on my face.

"When Rita Hayworth gets married again." I said back to him in a light tone, having me see him slowly break into a smile and then the both of us were grinning at the table. As soon as I said the name of Rita Hayworth, I then thought of the memory of all of us sitting together in front of Nixon, both singing to Oklahoma and then hearing that she was getting married. Now that was a pleasant memory, hearing all of the Easy Company men laugh and singing together as if the war has no touched us. Maybe it did, and we were just having a breather.

"Well, if we're going to go off of that, then it'll be another year or so, what do ya think?" He then asked me in a John Wayne accent, having me finally laugh for the first time all day and Luz laugh with me. We both needed to laugh at that time since we were both so filled with woe that all we needed was a laugh. I was glad to have that with him.

Beyond glad.

* * *

><p>"So this is Arkansas eh?" Joe asked me, though I knew he was talking out loud from his own thoughts as we were rolling through the corn fields that were surrounding us both left and right, the sun high above us as we were rolling down the highway and heading over to Bull's house. There were no more mountains to see, and it was all smooth around us since I was used to plenty of colors. With Arkansas, it was different. There were only green trees, plenty of them as we sped past and having me also see a lot of rivers and lakes that were plentiful and blue, filled with rocks and fish. I could see Bull growing up here, exploring the woods and hiding in the trees with any playmates that he had in the past. This was his element: the raw country and frontier.<p>

"Never been I take it?" I asked him, seeing him at the wheel as I had my feet on the dashboard, one arm out on the window in the wind and the other across the backrest of the seat, my hand on Joe's neck and running it through his brown hair as he drove. Archer was in the front seat with us, right in the middle and was gnawing on a bone that we got him before we started our journey for the day.

"You haven't either." Joe replied back to me with his smirk, having me smile as I then looked over at him, seeing him in his button down blue shirt and his brown hair flowing with the wind that was coming through the car.

"Listen, I know you went to talk to Luz that night at the movies. You talked to him about what was happening with me." I stated to him, knowing that it was more of a statement than a question. Joe shifted a bit in his spot in the car, having me watch him as he knew where I was going with the conversation.

"He just wanted to know how you were doing, Marley." Joe explained to me in a calm tone, trying to seem laid back, though he too was trying not to go into his hotheaded side when it came to an argument with me.

"You told him about how I was sleepwalking and dreaming about Grant, dead in front of me." I said to him again, looking forward at the scenery passing us by. Joe sighed from next to me, having me clearly see that he was trying to decent himself with what he did with Luz.

"Look, the guy was concerned about you, not knowing how you were dealing with being home and all. I wasn't going to lie to the bastard, he outta know about you since I know you care for the kid. And for Christ's sake, It wasn't something that bad—" Joe said to me in a bolder tone, but I cut him off.

"Thank you." He went quiet, looking over at me for a long mount before his eyes would go back to the road. I looked at him though, a small smile and a breath of relief was on my lips. It was true: I had to thank him for what he did. Sure I should be mad at him for talking about my personal life behind my back with Luz, but then again, it was Luz. I knew I could trust him with whatever baggage I had in my life since he wouldn't go and run with it. Hell, I trusted any of the Easy Company men with whatever I had on my plate, and I have done that before.

"If you hadn't of told him about what I was going through, then he wouldn't have helped me." I explained to him softly, feeling the wind in my hair and the hot summer air coming through. Luz did help me, having me hear him his own mouth that my insecurities were trying to get through to me and make me breakdown from just having nightmares.

"Yeah well, I'm not gonna leave our friends out from what's killin' ya when I know they all care for ya." Joe said to me while he was still driving, a serious look on his face as I was still staring at him and just giving him a small smile on my face. I knew Joe had his own personal protection over me and my nightmares, but he also know I had other friends with Easy Company and they too cared for me.

"I know you wouldn't." I agreed with him, seeing him smirk over at me from across the seat.

"And besides, if I didn't say anything to Luz then I would have gotten an earful from him, and the last thing I would like to deal with, is a Lunatic Luz." Joe commented with his cocky tone, having me giggle from my spot in the seat and run my fingers over the back of his neck some more, the both of us settling back down into a sense of content.

"Thank you, though." I thanked him again, feeling good that we once again had a civil conversation with one another though I know that it could have been worse because we were both hotheads.

"You're welcome." He replied back casually, having me look back in front of me again and see the rolling green hills and a better view of life on my mind. It was now under the bridge.

* * *

><p>"Come on in, meet the old man." Bull said to the both of us as we were brought inside the farmhouse that he called his home. He lived out in a good patch of land, a corn field near the backyard and a small enough lake that was on the left side. He lived out in the middle of nowhere, though the town of Rector was about a couple of miles away. He looked healthy from what I could see, his big stature and it felt very strong when he lifted me off the ground as he hugged me, and hearing the hearty laugh that he always had within him. It was good to see the giant again, no matter how gentle he was.<p>

"Dad?' Bull called out loud as we went into his country style kitchen. His big stature made him look like he was literally a giant in this room because everything else look so small. It was almost comical, though he did fit right at him there. We walked into the kitchen, having me then see an older man at the table, sitting there and massaging his hand carefully. I saw his face, seeing that he was, in fact, a father and how worn tan face was from being out in the sun and the wrinkles there from mage past frustrations.

"Hey dad, these are my friends from Easy Company. This is my father, John Randleman." Bull said to him in his soft tone, though it still sounded like a rumble as his father looked over at us finally. I saw his eyes and it took me a second: he had the same eyes as Bull. It made me think, that Bull was going to look like his father when he was older. He father had that gentle stature to him.

"Oh, hello there." His father said aloud, and he was about to get up from the chair but Bull rushed over to him gently helping him back down in the chair and I looked with a bit of pain there.

"You need to rest up dad. You know what the doctor told you about your muscles." Bull explained to him calmly, but his father just smiled and nodded his head.

"I didn't want to me rude in front of your friends." John explained to Bull, but Bull shook his head.

"It's fine, dad. This is Marley and Joe." Bull said to him, then pointing to both me and Joe. We smiled at him, the both of us walking over and I shook his hand as gently as possible, since I could tell something was wrong about his hands. He just grinned at him, the same grin that Bull had whenever he was out and about with the boys.

"It's very nice to meet you, sir." I said to him in a sincere voice, seeing him then look over at Bull and point at me with his spare hand.

"I like this one: a polite young lady." He explained to Bull, having me see both Bull and Joe break out with big grins as I blushed in front of him, "And when my son told me about the infamous combat medic who was a girl, I could of never pictured a woman as beautiful as you."

"Yeah, she gets that a lot." Joe commented from next to Bull, having me then glare at him and see him wink at me.

"I would get up and greet you, but the doctor is making me rest. I haven't rested this much in about 30 years." he said in a grumble to me, though I knew he was playful with me since I was too polite to him.

"Hey Joe, I'll show you your room." Bull said to Joe, having me be left behind with Bull's father and I was fine with it. He was a great guy from what I was seeing in front of me, and as Bull and Joe left the room, his father looked back over at me and smiled widely at me.

"My son tell me you're a nurse." He explained to me, having me nod my head at him and the smile never leaving my face.

"That I am. I have been since I was 18 years old." I replied, seeing him look at me now with wide eyes.

"Quite impressive for a girl your age," He commented to me, having me smile widely from witnessing how youthful he was. He then leaned over to me, as if he was telling me secret, "Would you mind taking a look at my hand?"

"You don't trust your doctor?" I asked him in surprise, he shook his head in return.

"He's just as old as me, I think he's gone senile." He replied, having me chuckle and ten see him hold out his hand for me to take. I grabbed it gently with both of my hands, massaging it and feeling the muscles underneath me, looking at the hands with my skilled nursing eyes now and saying nothing at first. I didn't mind doing this to him, since this was what I was trained to do since I was 18 years old. But I didn't hear Bull or Joe walk back down, having me think that they were watching me the whole time as I then looked up at Bull's father, whom looked at me with serious eyes now.

"I can feel some tension in your hand near your tissues. It's probably Carpal tunnel syndrome, or even tendinitis." I explained to him using my nursing tone of voice and seeing him watch me as I was still holding his frail hand seeing him then look at his hand now, as if it was about to fall off.

"Working on a farm for 40 years can ruin a man." he explained to me in a lower tone, having me place his hand gently on the table and see him still watch the hand, the same brightness in his eyes that Bull had were dimming now from hearing what I told him. But he shook it off, looking back at me with the same grin on his face again.

"I'm gettin' old anyways. I knew one of these days my body was going to come back and kick me in the ass." He shrugged it off, having me only smile and place my hands in my lap as he went on with his rant, "But I know Bull told me what happened with him in the town in Holland. He almost died at the hands of Germans and that piece of metal in his shoulder would have killed him….if you weren't there to take it out safely."

"Sir—" I started, but he held out his hand for me to stop. I had to, since he was an elder and I respected him enough to not talk.

"You are the reason my son has both arms, whether you want to take that compliment or not. It takes guts, what you did there for my last born child. And I wanted to properly thank you…for saving him. So he can come home." I smiled widely at him, seeing that he was about to cry in front of me. I felt like I was once again being given a compliment and praise that I didn't deserve. But this was what Joe was talking to me about: taking compliments that I was meant to have and not turning them away for one second. I saw him then take both of his hands in my own, squeezing them tightly and I couldn't move at all.

"I'm just a nurse, sir." I confessed to him, seeing him shake his head at what I was trying to tell him, to move the spotlight away from me.

"Now I know that is a complete lie, young lady. From what my young Bull has told me, you are far more than a nurse: you are a true friend." John said back to me, having me hear how serious he was and I then looked over at both Joe and Bull. They both were looking at me, showing me that he was right with what he was saying. I just smiled, trying to break away from that habit of brushing away a compliment that was rightfully given to me.

* * *

><p>"Red! Red, wake up you lazy ass!" I blinked and yawned, rolling over in the twin bed that I was sleeping and rubbed my eyes, trying to figure out where it was come from. It was in the dead of night, having me wonder why in the hell I was being woken up so late in the night. The night was cool, since Arkansas was already hot enough that we needed the windows open on the second floor.<p>

"Over here." I looked over to the open window that was showing me a view of the wide grass field. I saw a silhouette of a head at the window, having me peer a bit more and see that it was an outline of Bull's head and shoulders. He was outside my window on the roof, having me sigh and about to roll away from him.

"What gives, Bull. I'm sleepin'." I said to him in a grumble.

"You don't wanna miss this, trust me. Come on." He said to me, having me decide to finally give in and get out of my bed. I walked over, wearing my long pajama pants and a t-shirt and seeing him at the window sill, looking at me with his own pi's on. He was acting like a teenager going to his friends house, out on a mission.

"What the hell Bull?"I asked him with a shrug of my shoulders, seeing him grin from ear to ear.

"Come out on the roof, you'll see. I'm gonna get your lazy ass of a fiancé and I'm gonna show you something that'll take your breath away." He explained, having me roll my eyes and move away from the window.

"He's not a lazy ass." I argued with him though he was already crawling away from me on the roof to the window of the next room over, where Joe was sleeping.

"Like hell he isn't." he commented. I quickly got my brassiere on and I got out on the slanted roof, finding my foot as I walked a bit along the wall of the roof to where Bull was. He was poking his head into Joe's room.

"Jesus Christ Bull. You gotta be kiddin' me." Joe said in a grunt in the room, having me grin and look around me at the scenery outside. There were so many stars out in the sky, not one cloud, and the whole sky was lighting the ground with a tinted blue from the vast amount of stars. It looked surreal from where I was, but then I heard Joe get out of his window as well, wearing his own pajama pants and shirt as we saw Bull scurry over to the other side of the house, having me crawl a bit over to Joe.

"What is he up to?" Joe asked me in a grumble.

"Beats me," I replied back as we both followed him along the wall of the house, our steps were quiet since we were in our bare feet, "But it better be good since I was actually having a nice dream."

"Was I in it?" Joe asked in front of me with a coy tone.

"When are you never in them?" I asked him hearing him chuckle as we found Bull sitting on the top part of the second-floor roof, elbows on his knees and looking at the sky in front of him. Joe and I sat with him, I was wrapping my arms around my knees and Joe was Indian Style.

"So what are we doing out here, Bull?" Joe asked, yawning then and having me notice Bull was pointing to the sky.

"Just wait for it." He replied, saying nothing more as both Joe and I stared at the mass amount of stars in the sky. I wondered what he was talking about, since nothing was happening. Not at first. But then I saw it, tucked away in the sky and it happened too fast as I lost my breath and I felt like I was dreaming again.

Meteor shower.

"Goddamn." I said in a gasp as I smiled, seeing another one to my left, shooting through the sky as if it was a blade cutting through something so sharp and sure. Joe saw it too, smiling next to me as we were watching the shooting stars around us for a good 30 minutes or so. We said nothing, but just looked as what we thought was not possible was happening. It made me feel so small since the world around us was so huge. It was like the war: we were mere pieces in the vastness that was the war. There were others, thousands of others fighting for America and were going through the same woes and pains that we were feeling. I never felt so small before, seeing something this beautiful and thinking that it was changing what I was seeing in the world.

"This is beautiful." I said to the both of them, seeing a huge one right across the sky in front of us and having me just grin from my spot. My chin on my knees and seeing it all in front of me. If there was ever one doubt about God, it was long gone now since He was showing me that I was safe in His arms.

"I would watch these when I was a kid," Bull explained to the both of us, and even though Joe and I were stills watching the show that was up in the sky, we were listening to him, "The best time is in the summertime, and I would sneak up here a lot when I was a kid with my brothers and sisters. And every after they all moved out, I would still watch the stars out here, even on a good day or bad day." It was nice to hear that from Bull, since he was showing us a bit of his world and how it was so simple for him, yet it was all that he needed for both the good times and the bad times. This was all Bull: a simpler life with great gifts and how he took that and never released that from his hands.

It was a good night for the three times.

* * *

><p>"Hey, wake up sweetheart." Joe woke me up gently, running his fingers in my hair as I was resting against the window of the car, my arm as my pillow and I saw at first my visions as blurry. It's been another couple of days since we were with Bull at his house. Since then, we've been staying at motels every night, making our way over to California. Those nights were good for just the both of us, some of the nights just holding each other and talking to each other until one of us went to sleep, and other nights were filled with lustful kisses and holds. We didn't mind having those nights together, since it felt like no matter how many times we have tried, we could somehow never fan down the lustful side we had for each other. I still saw him as my best friend, though now there was another side to him that was now considering him as my lover now.<p>

"What is it?" I asked him, moving my arm around from vein asleep as I saw him point ahead and have me look. As soon as I looked, my lost my breath and I looked shocked from what was in front of me. We were back on the highway, but there was something huge in front of me and I thought I felt like an ant.

It was the Golden Gate Bridge, and we were heading over to it. Which meant, that we were about to head into San Francisco: our ending point.

It looked so huge, having me heart swell as I saw the high beams and how vibrant look of the color against the fog that was rolling through. From all that he told me about it: that was nothing to what was in front of me. I just smiled widely, finally being able to see his perfect place.

Now there was another hurdle: to meet his family.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: The next chapter is going to be the Epilogue, which means this tale must come to an end. Maybe I'll write another Band of Brother's fanfic, who knows, but let me know if you've like what I have written. Leave a review and some love!<br>**


	41. Chapter 41

**Author's Note: SOOOO I said I was about to write the epilogue, BUUUUTTT I lied. Sorry not sorry, but I wanted to have at least one more chapter about Joe's family since he got to have a chapter about Marley's family. But NOW I am about to write the epilogue that is extra long and ready to have this come to an end! Thanks for the support and the reviews! Spread the love around**

**ALSO, I'm thinking of writing another Band of Brothers Fanfiction but with Eugene Roe as my main man! let me know what you think!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Well, I must say that you were more beautiful than my son as described to me." Joe's mother, Olivia, explained to me in her thick Austrian accent though I could hear her clearly. I was with her in the backyard of their house, there was a small garden and a luscious spot of green grass along the fence and flowers blooming along the edges, having me think we were some kind of fairytale of how it looked. It was already dusk when we got to the house, which was nestled behind the main city buildings from San Francisco and in the suburban areas with a brick home and a wrap around front porch. Joe described it as something that was pretty shabby, but I saw it as gorgeous for a home in the big city. We were greeted by his mother and 4 of his siblings since he was the oldest of 6 children now at the age of 31. His mother merely hugged me close, and then her son in which she talked to him fast in German and he replied back. I was in awe in how much Joe himself looked like his mother: the same shade of brown in the hair and the identical smirk on the face. Which left his siblings all having the same hair thickness and the nose as well.<p>

They all were asking things about me: Jakub who was 26, Henry was 23, Penelope was 20 and Alice being the youngest at the age of 18. The last one that was missing was Graham, the 29-year-old who moved out of San Francisco and was now working as a roofer in St. Louis. They all came out to see Joe and I as we arrived in San Francisco in order to meet me. But I also met a very young and adorable niece, whom belonged to Jakub and her name was Bethany, a six year old brunette with curls and a heart shaped face that made her look like an angel. Bethany's mother died in childbirth with Bethany, so that was a bit hard for me to hear since Jakub not only had to raise his daughter by himself, but to see such joy on the girl's face and know that her life was already stained. After I was greeted by most of the family, I was brought in by his mother and we all went into the living room. Though it was small seemed rather comfy with all of the people there on couches and chairs, as the siblings asked Joe questions about the war both in English and in German.

It was interesting to witness such a thing, sitting next to him and see him try to describe to his family all that happened, though it pained him every once in awhile through a specific memory or battle. I just sat there with him holding his hand through the difficult parts and smiling through the bright spots that he brought up, hearing his family laugh and smile when he laughed and smiled. They even asked me about what it was like for me, and I too tried to make it sound as smooth as possible and not to bring out too much of the internal damage that was left inside of me from the war. They were all listening on hand and knee as if there was some fantastic tale to tell them. After I told them all that I wanted to say to them in order to have a good impression, Joe's mother had my things taken to one of the spare rooms for me to stay in, since she refused to have me be in a hotel and not near the family.

After an hour or two of getting to know the siblings, which I did really enjoy since they all reminded me of Joe in some manner, Joe's father, Samuel, came home from work and I got to meet him, and maybe see into the future of what Joe would look like within twenty years. He had the same jaw as his son, the look of intensity and kindness in his warm brown eyes and the same tone in his voice though it was older. He was very kind, less aggressive in the hug that he gave me compared to Joe's mother, and made me think somewhat of Franklin in how he carried himself. We then had dinner around the large dining room table, praying and crossing ourselves and then eating a home cooked meal, which was what I needed since we were on the road now for days and days on end and traveling across the country. The conversation around the table was filled with jokes and snarky remarks from one sibling to another, giggles and jabs at each other were making me smile throughout the dinner from my spot next to Joe and his niece on the other side of me. She would pull on my sleeve to get my attention, but when I would look she would shy away from me and try to act like she did nothing. I grinned from her antics though her father tried to get her to behave. I didn't mind, she reminded me of myself.

Now I was with his mother and we were watching Jakub twirling his daughter in the backyard, her hair flying in the wind as Joe was helping his siblings with the dishes and talking to his father on his own. Archer was chasing the both of them with a playful pounce, Bethany adored Archer and was trying to teach him how to fetch. He needed to talk to his father about plenty of things, and I didn't want to intrude. Although he wanted to talk to his father, he was more concerned that I was going to be talking to his mother alone. I told him it was mere gossip talk, but he was not convinced. Now he was feeling what I was going through when my own father wanted to talk to him alone. I was drinking coffee with Olivia when she complimented me.

"Thank you, ma'am." I said to her in a sweet tone, but she shook his head.

"Please, _Mein lieber_." She explained, having me watch her as she grinned at me, a grin that made me think of the safest place in the world, "You are not allowed to call me ma'am. That is for the old and unmoving kind of women. You may call me Olivia if you wish." I nodded my head then, already liking her since she had the same amount of sass that her eldest son has within himself. It was then I knew where he got it from.

"I am thankful that my son as found something special in you, and it shows through how he is now since he has come home from being away from us for four years," Olivia explained to me as we were sitting there in our chairs, having me then hear the giggling of Bethany whom was being held upside down by her father and Jakub laughing with her. "My son has a unique soul about him, and I feared that it would have been shattered forever ever since he left for the army. But it hasn't and I think it has something to do with you."

"It is he that has changed me for the better," I explained to her, "Your son has changed me for the better as one of my best friends." I was still hesitant in how I was going to break it to how I was in love with her son. It seemed embarrassing to mention out loud, though then again she had a right to know. However, I saw the look on her face and a small smirk, the exact same smirk that her son would have given me from time to time that showed that he knew exactly what I was trying to do.

"I can see that my son loves you beyond friendship," I was frozen as she said this with such certainty that it was as if she was stating it as a fact, "From what he has told me through his letters and how he looks at you from across the room: he cares for you. I have never seen him act in such a way with another person outside our family, let alone a young lady," I blush again as she chuckled from the remark of Joe, then giving me a stare that my mother would give that brought wisdom and kindness with it, "And I know you care for him, don't you."

"More than I thought I would." I explained to her simply, seeing her then look over at Bethany, whom smiled and waved at her with her tiny hand.

"_süße Großmutter!_" The young child said to Olivia, whom giggled as she waved back to Bethany.

"_Mein Liebling Enkelin_." She replied back to her, having me see Bethany beam and then run into her father's arms, who scooped her up and swayed with her. But then I saw Olivia's face grow grim, having me sit there and watch her look away from Bethany and then over to me, a solemn look and a solemn feeling fell over the both of us.

"HIs father and I left Austria when we were very young, too young to levee such a place. But we needed to find a place that we could raise our children in peace, in prosperity and with no fear, "She paused, taking a deep rebate before going on, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands in her lap, "We left just in time to miss World War One in Europe, thinking we got out of the thick of it. But once Joe was born, when we were in Michigan, we were never escaping the amount of hate and backlash from the people there because we were from Austria. They automatically thought we were the enemy because of how we spoke and our heritage." I felt terrible, since she was saying it such a way that it was tearing her heart from saying it.

"But we moved out here to San Francisco, and raising Joseph as our first child was a challenge within itself. He's gotten into more fights because of who we are then I would like to keep count, and sometimes I have feared that he would turn down a path that I would not be able to lead him out of." She stopped again, having me see that this was hurting her, talking about her eldest son like this. She cared for him, as any mother would, and she saw the stubbornness that he carried with him though I only saw a glimpse of it when we were in the war together.

"Your son is a great man, a wonderful man," I reassured her gently, seeing him look away from me as I said this about Joe, "I have seen him use that stubbornness and turn that into passion, passion for our Company of men that he would die for." She looked back at me then, having me see the glint in her eye to see if what I was telling her was true. I smiled at her, showing her where I was coming from.

"I have seen him at his lowest, but also at his highest. He was a great soldier, and a loyal friend to all he befriended. I am honored to call him my friend, and to be in love with your son." I confessed to her, seeing her gently reach over the table and take my hand, squeezing it lightly and have me watch as her face was now looking like her sons when it was on the brink of happiness and joy from a mere conversation.

"I do not think it was the war that changed him for the better, but it was you," She explained, having me look down as if I was not worthy of looking at her in the eyes as she said this to me, "I have always wanted my son to find someone whom would love him for who he was: hotheaded and complicated with a fragile heart and a thirst for pride. You are exactly what he needs, and I see it."

There was nothing else to say about it really since his mother was somehow giving me her blessing to marry her son and to love him. It made me happy to hear it in such a manner from her, no longer being in fear that she did not like me or accept me because I was not Jewish. Joe got that from her: acceptance no matter who you were. She never saw me as different, since another person that came into her son's life and changed him for the better. I then heard music from inside the house, an accordion playing softly in the autumn night. Bethany ran from her father over to the both of us, grabbing my hand and pulling me up from my chair.

"Come! Grandfather's playing again! You must hear him!" She urged me, having me giggle as Olivia got up from her spot across from me.

"My husband plays the accordion. He's been wanting to play ever since Joe got home." She explained to me as I was being pulled by Bethany into the house again. I remembered Joe telling me of his father playing the accordion, when we were in Germany and talking about each other's families. It was a nice memory, one of the ones that never once left a bad taste in my mouth.

We walked into the living room quietly, having me stay by the archway and look on as Samuel was playing the accordion with a look on concentration on his face. He was sitting in the armchair, at the edge for his posture and the music coming out of it sounded so heavenly. The rest of the family, including Joe, were all sitting around him on the couches or on the floor, looking at him and saying nothing. They all looked like children listening to a story, but they were grown men and women with the same look of fascination on their faces. Bethany ran away from me, skipping over to Joe who was on the couch next to his father, hopping onto his lap and Joe smiling.

"_Komm her, kleine oen_." he said to her softly as he wrapped his arms around her, seeing her nuzzle into him and watch as Samuel was playing a soft and slow song. I watched with a smile on my face, how his fingers grazed each key and pad with no hesitance or fear, it was as if he was made to play the accordion. This was Joe's family, listening to music from the father and cracking jokes with one another. Olivia was next to me, having me look over at her and see her head tilted to the side as she watched her husband with a soft smile back on her face. I knew that smile: Joe's smile at me when we were alone with one another and speaking to each other as if the rest of the world has melted away. He looked at me the same way when he told me he loved me, and he's looked that way at me countless times when I brought him out of darkness. It made me look back over at Joe.

Joe was quiet the whole time, as was the rest of the family, but he looked like he had a weight lifted from his shoulders because of what his father was playing. The notes were like a magic spell. taking away all that he was holding onto from the war and melting them from his heart for good. A smile was on his face, his head leaning against Bethany's and his eyes were closed. He was drinking in the fact that he was home and he was with his family once again.

He opened his eyes, finding my own instantly and he smirked at me, the same smirk that had me draw into him from the moment I was walking across the lawn at Camp Toccoa four years ago. I smiled back at him, seeing him then show me the sign for _I love you_.

I signed it back, seeing that this was good for the both of us.

* * *

><p>"I like your mom." I said to Joe as we were both sitting out on a bench overlooking San Francisco early one morning, seeing the fog roll in and the chilly air coming over the area. It's been a week since Joe and I came to the city and me staying with his family. His mother was beyond kind to me, and also his father and siblings. They made me feel like I was part of the family from the moment they saw me come out of the car with Joe and Archer. That morning Archer was back at the house, since Bethany begged us to let her watch him and take care of him. The rest of the siblings went to their homes after another day together, leaving Jakub with Bethany at the house with Joe and I and their parents.<p>

"She's a bit of a handful." Joe replied in a grin, shifting in his bench and leaning back a bit in his own peacoat that he was wearing. I had my jacket on with my skirt and heels and dress shirt. From our view we were overlooking the huge bay, seeing the golden gate bridge and how it was contrasting against the gray and blue fog.

"But I like it, now I see where you get your fiery personality from. But the cockiness….that's still up in the air." I said to him, seeing him look next to me and smirk.

"Way to place nice." He commented, having me chuckle as he then wrapped a arm around me from behind, his arm on the backside of the bench and having me then give him a snide look from his action. He acted like it was nothing, but I could see he wanted to make this moment light between us.

"Oh wow, the arm behind the body trick. How many girls have you done this to?" I asked him in a sarcastic remark, seeing him only smile and look ahead at the rolling fog over the city.

"Plenty, and they have worked every time." Joe replied back.

"Clearly." I countered back, seeing him now playfully glare at me as I just smiled. It was nice to have another light moment between the both of us since lately we were both trying to figure out if our families liked each other. So far, there was nothing to really worry about.

"So, my niece really likes you." Joe stated, changing the subject, having me grin from thinking about Bethany and how joyful she was.

"I like her too. She's very fun to play with." I added with his statement.

"She's more like a oddball than I ever thought a 6 year old would be," Joe explained, having me smile widely at notion of Joe calling his own niece a oddball, "But she's a great kid. My brother did really well raising her, given the circumstances." That was a bit painful for him to say, I could hear it in his voice. Since his brother had to raise Bethany by himself, I could tell it was hard for him and the rest of the family.

"But she has you, and your grandparents and other Aunts and Uncles to help her out." I reassured him, seeing him still look a bit off with what he told me. He never mentioned Bethany before when we are getting to know each other in England and even in Germany through our small talks. She must of been far too precious for him to mention out of his lips.

"I know she does, and we're helping out with Jakub as much as we can. But the last time I saw her, she was two years old and just learning how to speak fully in German." Joe explained some more, having me feel his hand that was on the backrest go to my shoulder and I reach up to grab his hand in my own, feeling how cold his hand was in my own.

"She's a beautiful little girl, _cheri_." I reminded him, seeing him now smile from me mentioning how beautiful she was.

"Looks just like her dad, but she does have the infamous Liebgott nose. That's going to bite her in the ass later." Joe joked, having me scoot closer to him and feel him wrap his arm around me and we both were just sitting there on the bench.

"I like your nose." I reminded him, seeing him look over at me with his genuine smile and then kissing me lightly on the lips.

"And I talked to Webster on the phone last night, after you crashed." Joe explained, having me feel a lighter moment happen from the mention of our neutral friend.

"Really?" I asked him in interest.

"Yeah, he's coming out to Berkley in two days to a writing seminar he got himself into right after the war. Apparently it's a class requirement at Harvard and he's coming out with a couple of buddies. He wants to meet up and grab a bite to each when he's here." Joe explained with his own smile. I was glad Webster and Joe were back on good terms again, since the incident with both the German Captain in Germany and in the French town of Hagenau.

"I would love to see him." I replied, then seeing Joe take my other hand in his, my left hand, and having me look down at the brass ring that was on my ring finger. I looked too, how the ring itself was dark against my pale finger and how it was still there, having me never taking it off once sine he gave it to me in Germany. Joe watched me looking at the ring, and I started to turn it while it was still on my finger, slowing seeing it there and a small smile still on my face.

"I never told you about this ring," Joe stated, having me finally look up at him in confusion, "Well, not the whole thing about it. You remember when I told you that I got it with Luz when we were in Germany, one night out with him?" I nodded my head, remembering that day clearly in my head as he gave me the ring and we were out on the camp field.

"I actually lied to you." He explained calmly, though I wasn't angry with him about that at all, "I got it when we were in England." I was floored from that piece of information, not moving from my spot and thinking that everything around us now was shifting and morphing with our relationship.

"The night after that guy was tryin' to flirt with you at the bar, before we went to the bar with the others, I was out on my night off with Toye and Luz, going over to one of the villages there just because we were bored. I saw this ring in the pawn shop that we were snooping around in, and I thought of you because it reminded me of your hair in the nighttime: your hair looks like bronze." After he said this, he ran his fingers in my hair gently, the end of my hair were in his fingertips and he was looking at my hair in a loving way.

"I honestly just wanted to give it to you as some kind of….promise ring or somethin' sappy life that. But I had no time to give it to ya, we were running around bat shit crazy and I could never find a good time to give it to ya." Joe stammered out, trying to make it sound good enough for me since it was a struggle for him to confess what the ring was really meant for. But who was I to be mad at him for something like that?

"But it was when I thought you died, in Bastogne….and even after when we were sitting in the chapel together…that I knew that I wanted it to be more than a promise ring for the both of us," Joe explained some more, shifting in his spot on the bench as he touched the ring with his fingers and traced it slowly, "And you should know, I have never been this sappy or this….emotional when it came to girls and being all romantic and shit. But Marley, you've changed me for the better….and I want nothing more than to marry you and to heal with you for the rest of our lives." I smiled widely at him, seeing that he has changed dramatically since we met four years ago and started our journey in the war. I then watched him carefully, seeing him fish something out from his jacket pocket carefully, his tongue was even sticking out in how he was getting whatever he was trying to grasp out. It was when he pulled out his hand again, the small trinket that was in his hand and was shining even in the foggy morning. I had no words to say, and I couldn't move from my spot since he was holding it out in front of me.

An engagement ring.

"This was my mother's ring, belonged to my grandmother back in Austria," Joe explained to me as I was looking at the ring he was holding between his two fingers, right in between us, "My mom wanted me to give it to her future daughter-in-law, and she figured it was you from the moment we came home a few days ago." I still had nothing, seeing the glimmering ring that he was holding in front of me. The diamond was a hexagon cut, with intricate carvings of the metal wrapped around it, looking like victorian vines and such beauty with it. Although it was very old, it looked new and beyond beautiful for words. And he wanted to give this to me.

This was the topping of the many reasons why I did not deserve to be in his life or for him to love me. This represented beauty and I was broken, beyond broken. I blamed the war for making me broken, all of the blood that has been on my hands and face, all of the screams of the dying men that I could not save. It was making me now not good enough for this ring Joe wanted to give me. Almost like I was drowning in the ocean, reaching up with no air in my lungs and no one was going to save me as I was sinking lower and lower towards the abyss.

"Marley?" Joe asked me, his voice was so soft now since he was waiting for some kind of answer from me. But I shook my head slowly, closing my eyes and feeling hot tears hit my skin and my eyelashes. I could not take this ring from him now, not that all of the plaguing images of darkness were coming back over me and having me think of myself less of a human and more of a ghost. Joe deserved someone who would be happy and full with him always, when I knew I would still be suffering in front of him and making him suffer in return.

"I don't deserve you." I stammered out in a mourning tone, having me seeing him move next to me. He grabbed my legs gently, placing them on top of his own on the bench and then having me face him now, though my eyes were still closed and my head bowed. How could he still have faith in me, though I was so broken and still trying to mend myself. Although we were planning on getting married for so long, I never though seeing a ring of this beauty and history would make me feel less self-worth.

"It's you I don't deserve," Joe reminded me, having me open my eyes and see him lean close to me to where we were almost touching heads, "I don't care how many days or weeks, or goddamn years I have to remind you over and over how wonderful you are to me and how much I love you. I'm going to remind you always because you deserve to hear from someone that you are beyond amazing, and you are worth loving and caring after. Marley, you have helped people survive any kind of death since you were just a kid," I kept my eyes on him as he paused, having me see him wrap one arm around me to keep me close to him, "Let me be able to take care of you and take away any of the bad dreams and memories."

I closed my eyes again, feeling the small sense of warmth coming through me as he was telling me all of these things. He knew where I was coming from; that I was not deserving of him and I should just be left alone for the rest of my life. I was called to serve others and protect them, but he now wanted to protect me since he knew I needed it more than ever.

"Please Marley." Joe hummed to me, having me take out a shaky breath and slowly nod my head. I knew this was what I wanted, and I had to accept that fact. There was nothing that I could do that would keep Joe's love for me away and far from me. I had to learn how to take the first step that was meant to be with him: accept that I needed someone to take care of me. Someone that would look at my burdens and pains and not reject them. Someone who saw me as whole, not broken.

Joe slipped the ring onto my left finger, right underneath my bronze ring and I felt as though everything that was holding me back up until this point was now exploding out of my chest and soul. it was no longer binding me down, no longer making me second guess myself. He then kissed me into oblivion on the bench, having me slowly kiss him back and pour what I was feeling right back into his kisses.

He reached into the ocean waters, wrapping his hand over my own and pulling me up from my own despair and into the land of the living. I was gasping for fresh air again, and Joe was giving me life.


	42. Epilogue

"So the wedding is on I take it?" Webster asked me as we were talking through San Francisco. I was walking hand in hand with Joe, my engagement ring was on my finger and I was still trying to get used it, even a couple of days after Joe gave it to me on the bench. We were meeting with Webster for the day and catching up with him while he was in the city before he had to go back to Harvard with the rest of his classmates. It was early evening in the city, as the sky above us was tinting purple and blue now from the pink that was melting away into the Bay and ocean.

"As of right now it is still on." Joe replied to him as I then wrapped my arm around his waist and his arm around my shoulder, having me lace my fingers with his that were on my shoulder blade and we were just enjoying our walk with Webster.

"I'm glad to hear it, really I am. But it took you two long enough to actually get the ball rolling on this." Webster joked, having me see Joe scowl at him and then I chuckled from the gesture.

"Whatever, Web." Joe snorted at him as we turned a corner to walk down another busy street, having me hear the bands in local pubs as we walked by each of them. I even breathe in the smell of fresh cigarettes and stale beer.

"Oh, come on, it's been four years and you two are _now _finally getting married. I can name plenty of couples who are gettin' married faster than you." Webster kept teasing, having me just shake my head from the amusement.

"_Sei kein Arschloch niche._" Joe grumbled to him as we kept walking, having me gaze over and see Webster smirk from the insult that Joe clearly threw at him. I knew they both were playing nice with each other, no more ill feelings amongst each other that could result to bitterness.

"_Beenden wird so großspurig_." Webster replied back to Joe in his own snarky tone. I then smacked the both of them one at a time with my spare hand lightly.

"Quite insulting each other in German, you know damn well I can insult you back." I explained in a low tone though a smile was evident on my face as both of the guys chuckled from my antic with the both of them. I could see the lights of the buildings starting to light up, bit by bit as it was getting darker out where we were heading, which was the shopping district for some food.

"Sorry ma'am." Joe commented to me, having me punch him lightly again in the stomach and then receive a kiss on the head from him. But I gazed my attention back on Webster, whom was walking with his arms crossed in front of him and looking at the city around him with the same look of fascination on his face as he did plenty of times out of the battlefield. He looked clean shaven, still young and handsome with his bright eyes and smooth jawline.

"How's the book coming along, Web?" I asked him in a curious manner, seeing him then look over at me now with a glint in his eyes from me mentioning him writing his book.

"It's going along good," Webster replied as we were crossing the street, "I'm a few chapters in, and so far my professors like what I'm talking about."

"You're writing about sharks," Joe commented in a snarky remark, "How is it that you go to Harvard and yet you're writing about a freaking fish?"

"Be nice." I scolded him playfully, "Go on, Web."

"Sharks are fascinating creatures," Webster explained in a bold tone, as if he was trying to prove himself to both Joe and I, " You can learn a lot of them, you know? And you know what? One of these days, maybe in a year or two, I'm going to go out and see them for myself."

"And go swimmin' with them?" Joe asked him from next to me.

"Not really, though that _does _sound tempting." Webster sarcastically replied back, having me grin at how he was too being snarky with Joe and keeping up with his level of attitude, though they both were still playful.

"Good for you, Web. I'm glad to hear you're doing good since we came off the boat." Joe sincerely said to Webster, having me look at him and see the smile of friendship on him that he would use on Webster.

"Thanks, Lieb." Webster thanked him, having me feel a nice tender moment between the two as Webster took a nice deep breath from his spot as if taking off a heavy burden from his shoulders.

"Anyways, what's the wedding gonna look like for the both of you?" Webster asked both Joe and I, having me roll my eyes from the mere thought of planning a wedding and getting all of those things together.

"I don't even wanna start thinkin' about it." I grumbled back to him, having me feel Joe squeeze with his arm around my shoulder.

"I'm thinkin' that we shouldn't even have a big wedding at all." Joe commented from being next to me, his voice was light and he was, in fact, full of optimism.

"Try tellin' that to both of our mothers, since I'm figuring they both want us to have a big wedding. What a headache." I explained to Joe, seeing him just shake his head from where I was coming from.

"It'll be fine, _Schatz_," Joe reassured him, rubbing my arm with his hand that was on my shoulder, "It'll be fun. We'll make it fun, not one of those stuck up weddings that are full of bullshit."

"Well, there's one thing we can both agree on." I commented to him.

"And I take it Easy Company is going to be invited?" Webster asked me with a hint of intrigue in his voice as we stopped in front of the restaurant that we were going to eat at. I grinned from ear to ear, just thinking about the whole company at out wedding and having a great time with them. I have missed their voices and their laughter with each other, and to hear that once more at a wedding, where we would eventually turn it into a party, would be the best thing ever for me. So I looked over at Joe, seeing him watch me with hesitance in his eyes as he saw what I was thinking.

"It'll turn into a freakin' circus with those guys." Joe warned me as Webster walked into the restaurant with a grin on his face as I just giggled with Joe and I snuck in a kiss on his lips before moving away from him.

"Accept it: Easy Company is going to be at our wedding."

* * *

><p>Ever since meeting with Web, Joe and I got things rolling with finding a new place where we can call home. We found an apartment in Sa Francisco, on the other side of town from where Joe's family lived. It was a simple place, nothing too fancy to it when it came to luxury: one bedroom and one bathroom kind of a place. I was fine with that, and I knew Joe was too though he wanted a nicer place for me. I didn't care, and our first night consisted of us eating pizza on our barren mattress in the living room, then drinking a bottle of wine and dancing together to a French record that I found in a record store down the street. It was a good first night in our apartment.<p>

Joe got his old job back with the Cab company, and I got a job at one the bigger hospitals in the city as a nurse, and they hired me right on the spot because of my experience with the army. They have me specialize with any patients from the army and help them dealing with their PTSD and any other wounds that they were still needing mending. I helped with the amputated soldiers mostly, and then anything else they caught from being overseas and they were still needing help with. It was good work and good pay, and I didn't mind going back to a nursing role since up until this moment I was so used to being a combat medic. Nursing was a slower pace for me, a nicer pace.

After a month of getting things in order for us and having some more things in the apartment, we were finally ready to start getting the wedding on the road, though the both of us knew that it was going to be very low key. We both had to convince our parents that since it would be clear that they both were going to want us to have a nice elegant wedding or some sort. Joe worked it out with his mother while visiting her one afternoon as I was on a night shirt, and the next day I talked to my mother on the phone and I got her blessing for the small wedding as well. My mother's gift to me was going to be taking care of the food, in which Joe's mother's gift was the cake.

So far so good.

When it came to planning for the big day, which we decided was going to be in the spring since neither want of us were big fans of getting married in the winter, it seemed rather simple: we just needed a chapel and then a pace to go to after for the reception and for a get together for the friends and family coming. We found a nice small church that was in the city, small enough for us since neither one of us was huge fans of being in a large cathedral. By the time Christmas came and went, having it at Joe's old house with his family and my future in-laws, we were so close to being done with planning the wedding.

One February morning, having me at the phone and dialing the number that I've been wanting to use since I got the number from Malarky, Joe was already out on his shift that morning and I had it off. My shift didn't start until 2:00 until 10:00.

"Hello?" I heard on the other end, having me smile from just hearing the voice again from someone whom I haven't talked to since I was on the boat back to America.

"Major Dick Winters?" I asked in a hopeful tone, hearing nothing on the other end and then a small chuckle, having me sigh in relief since I thought I got the wrong number.

"Well, I'll be. If it isn't Marley La Noux. Soon to be Marley Liebgott if I'm not mistaken." He said on the other end of the phone. I grinned, already happy that I was hearing his voice once more and hearing how pleasant it sounded and now gentle.

"You are not mistaken, and that is why I am calling you in the first place," I explained to him, "Joe and I wanted to see if you were willing to come out to San Francisco for the wedding. We want you to be there, as our fearless leader and all from Easy Company."

"Well, I would be honored since I did practically see the both of you get together from the very beginning. You're making me sound like a proud father." Winters explained in a light tone.

"I wouldn't push it that far," I added to him, hearing him laugh at his side of the line, "And I do want to bring the rest of Easy Company out for the occasion too."

"Wonderful, what a nice little reunion," Winters commented, "Although, I do have a warning if Nixon is going to come."

"What would that be, sir?" I asked.

"You better hide your best liquor. Heaven knows he'll find it and drink it dry." Winters explained, having me grin as I looked at the long list of men in front of me on the paper on the desk. I had a long list of men to call, and Winters was up the top of it.

"Thanks for the heads up. However, with the whole company coming to the wedding, I think we're going to be more concerned about having all the men satisfied with alcohol." I explained to him, thinking of how we were going to try and handle all of the drinking with the company and where we were going to get it from.

"Oh, trust me, La Noux. That won't be a problem with our men. Trust me, they can take care of that part of it."

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" I asked Joe as he was taking me out to a mystery dinner just the two of us, but I know that something else was up his sleeve. He said nothing at first as we were walking on the side now in the cold winter night of March. The wedding was now in two days away, and the Easy Company men were apparently on their way over to San Francisco for the occasion. I talked to Bull, Malarky, Toye, Babe, Doc and Buck on the phone as Joe talked to Frank, Webster, Lipton, Luz, Spiers, Nixon, Spina and a couple others about when they were going to be coming into town. It was great that they were coming around to see the both of us get married, but it was even more hilarious that they all happened to be staying in the same hotel. I knew that could only stir up trouble, and I felt bad for the employees there.<p>

"It's a surprise." Joe merely replied to me, not giving me eye contact and I glared at him now, not wanting to back down from the fact that I knew that he was trying to hide something from me, and he knew that I hated it.

"This is not fair, treating your future wife like this." I warned him, but he was still grinning as we were going through the city slowly, hand in hand and having me still confused as to what was going on.

"And it's also not fair that my future wife will not allow me to surprise her every once in awhile because she deserves it, but I'm going to look over that one flaw about her." Joe explained in a huff and a shrug of his shoulders though I glared at him seeing what he was doing.

"Don't change the subject: what is going on with you? You've been shifty since I came home from my shift today." I explained to him some more, pressing into the fact that he was leaving me out in the cold with information.

"I just want to take you out to dinner, that's all. You've been working hard lately to save up money for us and you deserve a nice night out." Joe replied back in a light tone, having me raise an eyebrow at him as we stopped in front of a nice restaurant. Now this got me even more confused and freak out: we couldn't afford to come to a place like this. Why would he take me here? Was this some kind of trick? I then moved to face him completely, seeing him look down at me and have me place my hands on hips in defiance.

"You're taking me to dinner here?" I asked.

"It's nice, huh?" He asked casually.

"We can't afford something like this, you know that." I countered with him, just seeing him roll his eyes and then place his hands on my shoulders, as if he was giving me some kind of pep talk as I could even hear the nice music that was coming from the place that he wanted to take me too. I felt so underdressed and too…poor though I knew that I wasn't. I had no need for money, but then again this would be an embarrassment.

"It's just dinner. Can you accept the fact that I wanna treat you every once in awhile to something nice? Or would you rather have me give you something expensive to put around your neck?" Joe challenged me, but I gave him a hard look since he knew me too well. I was no big fan of jewelry, because I almost had a heart attack from his grandmother's ring that was still on my finger.

"Don't you start with me, Liebgott." I warned him, seeing him grin again and then kiss me on the forehead, although I grumbled.

"Come on, You'll be fine." He reassured me, having me grimace at the mere thought of going into the place undressed. As soon as we walked in, one of the waiters came over to us as I was now incredibly shy from being in such a nice place.

"We're with the party in the back." Joe explained to the waiter, whom nodded his head and we were both following him through the crowded room of people eating and drinking. I was now confused out of my mind, there was a party? When was this in the cards? I was about to ask Joe when we turned a corner into the private room in the back of the place, having me then hear a uproar of cheers and laughter from the mass amount of men there in the room, smiling at me and having me loose my breath.

Easy Company.

"It's the love birds!" Buck cooed from his spot next to Malarky, the rest of the men joined in the cheer as I felt Joe wrap his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on the top of my head, though my mouth was open from the mere sight of all of Easy Company there in front of me, in San Francisco. I have missed them all so. To see their faces, hear their laughter and know that this was real, not a dream at all, it was something that made me want to cry. But there were no more tears, not from me since I was beaming so brightly that I felt like I was radiating light from what I was feeling on the inside.

Doc was the first to get to me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his arms gently as Joe was being hugged by Buck and Nixon. I grinned into Doc's hair, hearing him chuckle as he pulled away from me.

"How did you get here?" I asked him as Luz joined him next to him, along with Babe.

"Joe called us, asking us to come in a day or two early to surprise you." Doc explained in a shrug of his shoulders, "We weren't going to say no to our Red."

"Hell no," Luz added in, giving me a warm hug, "Not only do we wanna see the both of you get hitched, but we wanna celebrate with you too." I grinned from hearing the joy in his voice and seeing it in his eyes. I then looked at him and saw Toye, coming over with his own pair of crutches and I grinned, walking over to him and wrapping both arms around him and he hugged me with one arm.

"I'm so glad you're here." I said to him, pulling away and seeing that he was looking good for having one leg. I haven't seen him since Bastogne, he must have gotten hit after I was injured from the grenade. But he still had a grin on his face, the same one I saw when we met in the mess hall and when he shook my hand.

"I am too, Red." He said back to him in his cool tone, looking at me up and down, "You clean up good for a medic."

"Shut up." I countered with him, hearing him laugh as Babe joined him.

"We all came out as soon as we could. I road out with Guarnene, who was not going to miss this for the world." Babe explained he hugged me carefully and I then saw the infamous Guarnene make his way over. He was on crutches now too, since his one leg was gone clean from the Bastogne battle. But he himself looked good. I didn't think of him as different, even with only one leg now and a small part of him was lost. But he smiled, standing in front of me on his crutches and I folded my hands in front of me, trying not to cry since I have not seen him since I was taking out of combat in Bastogne.

"It's good to see you, Guarnene." I said to him in such a light tone that he too grinned. I missed his smile, the smile of a man who was on a mission and had no rhyme or reason for it.

"Same here, Red. I was shocked when I heard that you were settlin' down with the likes of that guy." He explained, looking over my shoulder at Joe, who was walking over to me from saying hi to Frank and Bull. Joe wrapped an arm around me, having me watch him and notice how he was looking at Guarnene. I was there when they fought for the phrase Son of Abraham being thrown out, broke it up and then made sure they were on good term again. Where they? I had no clue. But I then watch Joe look at him up and down, as if he was sizing him up and then Guarnene slowly smiling.

"But I can't picture any other guy for you to end up with that'll treat ya right." He said in a light tone, having Joe finally show a genuine smile and then hold out his hand for him to shake. Guarnene shook it without question.

"Good to see you, Bill." Joe said to him in a nice tone, and I could tell that he meant it.

"Back at Ya, Joe." He replied, having me get the feeling of home again with all of the men.

The rest of the night consisted of drinks being poured all around, laughter from the jokes and stories of everyone and what they were up to, past memories that were good and honest being brought to the table, and it was all good in my mind. I missed seeing them all together with no pain or fear in their eyes, and this was a time for no fear or pain on our faces or in our voices. We talked as if the war has never happened, as if we were childhood friends who met up again and had a lot of catching up to do. There was a sense of comradery over all of us, sinking under our skins and being heard through our laughter.

This was what I needed, all along when I left my home for the first time five years ago and headed to war: I needed a group of people to call my own. A group of lost souls who found each other and saw nothing else than brotherhood and family with one another. And it was true: they were my family. It was the same for Joe, I could seen in how he was burst out in tears of laughter from a joke from Bill or how he would smirk at Webster from a school joke, theses were his brothers as well.

Our brothers were back together again.

* * *

><p>We were married in the afternoon in a small chapel in San Francisco. Joe wore his uniform, and I wore a laced dress that came to my ankles and was sleeveless with my hair down in curls behind me and my brass ring on my right finger instead of my left, where the engagement picture was. My father walked me down the aisle, as both of the sides of the aisles were filled with men from the Easy Company, all whom were in their own uniforms and looking at me with both kindness and respect as I walked down to meet Joe at the end of the aisle.<p>

Joe looked beautiful to me, how he was staring at me made me think of how his mother stared at his father mere months before when I was first brought to his home: with adoration and love. I tried to hard not to cry when I saw him watch me as I was then standing in front of him. This was the man I fell in love with, and as I took his hand in my own and the pastor went on talking, my mind was only going back to all we have been through. He was my best friend, first and foremost, and he was much more than that now since we were standing in front of each other, about to be one for life.

I didn't care that we fought, that we made each other go crazy, or that we scared each other for being too bold and too reckless with our decisions. It was the fact that we brought each other back to reality and back to peace that mattered. We made each other better, stronger and more at ease because we knew each other's demons and fears. I found every struggle and pain was worth being in front of him and saying my vows to him. I was no longer mourning, not at this point. Since the only thing that was filling my heart and mind, the only thing going through my blood system and making me want to smile instead of scream, was Joe. He was willing to take care of me, and I was willing to do the same.

We kissed in the sunset light that was streaming through the stain glass window of the chapel, giving us a hint of purple and pink as we were officially husband and wife: finally. We could not only hear the clapping and cheer of our families who were happy for the both of us, but the rowdy cheers of the Easy Men who too have seen us from the beginning morph our friendship into something good and true. I smiled through the kiss, feeling Joe cup my face in his hands and show me that he was glad to call me wife.

And I was glad to call him husband.

Our reception was filled with dancing and laughter, being held in a park that was along the bay and hear the Golden Gate Bridge. The men brought the alcohol, their own personal gift since I knew that they each had their own picks of what they wanted to drink. But they were beyond respectful and kind to our families, whom finally got to see all of the men we talked about and told stories about. It was nice that both of our world were meshing together, and it was just for us. Toye found a local band in the city and all the men pitched in to have the band come out and play for us. It was all we wanted and more.

I got to dance with Doc and Bull, whom swept me around with grace and having me feel sheepish as the music played. Through a couple of slow songs I was dancing with Nixon and Winters as the rest of the men were just fine dancing with their drinks and having fun with one another. Luz brought Delvina, and a couple of the men brought their own girlfriends and I met them all, having me see that they too there finding hope in their lives beyond the war. Nixon gave a toast, Luz did impressions, Webster gave me a copy of love poems and a book from an New Orleans author he thought I would like, and Doc gave me a record of Edith Piaf, which made me happy since it was all in French.

Most of the time I stayed with Joe though, and after we ate the food and cake, dancing into the night, the party was long over and we headed back to our apartment, the first time as a married couple. Although we weren't drunk, since I knew we both wanted to remember this night for certain.

Joe lifted me in his arms and carried me over the threshold, having the same look of love on his face as he insisted on helping me out of my dress slowly and at a teasing rate. We made it to the bedroom, having me see him hold me close as I was getting his tie off carefully from his uniform as he was pressed against the door now.

"You better take starting your clothes off, or I'll rip it off of you." I said against his lips as he was still avoiding to touch my dress because he knew it was going to drive me crazy. I got his tie off finally, moving my hands down to his belt buckle.

"I like seeing you worked up like this, maybe I should do it more often." Joe teased me as he was getting one button off slowly and carefully, behind my back against my skin with the dress. I just leaned into him carefully, brushing my lips against me and then seeing the lust behind his eyes once more since we were so close.

"If you don't help me out of this dress, then I'll have to find someone else to do it." I warned him carefully, though he then got the rest of the buttons off and was slipping the dress off my shoulders now, his eyes never leaving my face and having me both feel trapped and free.

"Only I can take your clothes off, and you love it." Joe said back to me as he then kissed me passionately, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me from the ground as I got to work on his shirt. With every new sight of skin under the dress that was seen, Joe kissed him and had me close my eyes in peace and lust. I agreed, slipping off his jacket and shirt while kissing his neck and hearing him groan as he slipped off my dress and got his hands on my bare skin. We toppled to the bed, the pins out of my hair as he pressed open mouth kisses on my neck and collarbone as I wrapped the arms around him and held him close, the both of us falling into lustful bliss again.

It was all worth it.

* * *

><p>Joe and I have been going through the motions of married life together. We kept that apartment for about a year or so, going through the trials of dealing with a broken heater in the winter and the crappy plumbing for the summertime. However, we were living as if we were the richest people in the world, though we were both the most frugal. And after a year or two, We had enough money to buy ourselves a house, a pretty big one that was on the far reaches of San Francisco, almost in the country really with wide open spaces around the area. When Joe took me to the house, on a crisp summer day in the late morning after getting breakfast, I looked at the house and I just merely smiled. It was a beautiful Victorian house, a bit of a fixer upper with some things to mend here and there. There was enough room for Archer to run around since now he was getting to the point of being fully grown with a lean body and his pointed ears. It was perfect me, though others would think it would far too much to fix.<p>

But I didn't see the flaws: I saw the possibility of building something here with him.

After moving into the new house, which had so many rooms and so much space, Joe and I got to work on the house to make it our own. After it was all settled and we got the house looking the way we wanted it to, we would have friends come over and eat with us as much as we could. Archer would run around like crazy in the backyard and side areas, though I would keep an eye on him and call him back, seeing him run back to me within seconds. We didn't mind having a big house with just the two of us and Archer, giving us time to just have each other as a married couple that was young and reckless. We still worked, but we also still just drank in the silence that was around us in our new home. The silence was inviting and soothing for the both of us because we were both still trying to heal and get through the past images and flashes of nightmares.

I found out within a few months that I was pregnant. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to have children with Joe, and we were never having a concrete plan on when we were going to have children really. It just happened naturally, and it came as if it was a summer wind: suddenly and with peace. Joe was excited when he heard the news, hugging me close and kissing me all over the face, which was clearly him of course. Things were going so well for the both of us.I was beyond excited to be a mother, though it was, in fact, short-lived after a few weeks of finding out.

I had a miscarriage.

I stayed in bed for days upon days, curled up in a ball and letting the demons come over me once more. I was filled in pain, so much pain to know that I lost my child before I could even meet him or her. There was nothing more painful than knowing that I had something so good and so pure taken from me before I could even blink, and it made my heart bleed out all over again. I couldn't do anything, and Joe was there for the whole thing. He even cried when he heard about the miscarriage, holding me close in his arms and having me sob into his chest as he cried into my hair. He too lost his child, he too was in pain. But he knew my pain was worse, and he knew how broken I was again. On the night when I was sleeping on the bed, or just curled up in a ball and silent crying, Joe was rubbing his fingers up and down my back, molding against me and letting me know that he was there. He was never going to leave me be, and I needed that.

There was one night that he decided to get me better again. He lifted me from the bed, carried me bridal style again in my nightgown down the hall bare footed and then getting me into the restroom, wiping away the tears and pushing the matted hair from my face though I was still waiting to cry, there were no more tears left in my body. He just held my face in his hands, looking at me with both pains from losing our child and love for me and me alone.

"Don't fall away from me, Marley. Don't you dare leave me here." He said to me as he stroked my face gently with his fingers as I was sitting on the floor with him in our bathroom, I watched him with my bloodshot eyes, seeing what he was saying. I was slipping away from him, from what happened and losing the baby. And he knew that if I was starting to slip from him, that were was no turning back.

"We will get through this, you and me. But I don't want you to ever think you did something for this to happen, okay?" Joe asked me, having me nod my head and see that he didn't want me to blame myself for what happened. He then kissed me sweetly on the lips, having me feel it warm me up for the first time in days.

Joe then helped me get into the shower, running water and his fingers in my hair as I sat in the tub with my knees to my chest, my arms around my knees and my eyes still closed. He was trying to soothe me as he washed my hair, though I didn't even care that we I was naked in the tub. Joe was my husband, we were beyond boundaries and shyness this point. Joe even started humming _Come Josephine In My Flying Machine_. I finally looked over at him, hearing him hum the tune as he was rubbing my back gently with his knuckles as he was still pouring warm water in my hair.

"You're a terrible singer." I muttered to him, my voice was hollow and raspy but it was showing a bit of cockiness to it. Joe looked over at me, pushing one wet strand of hair from my cheek and then having me look back at him. He too was crying, either from losing his child or from seeing me in tears from losing our child. But I saw the glossy eyes looking back at me but they still were so warm and filled with joy and safety, as it always was since I first met him.

"Don't be a dick." He replied back to me in a snarky tone. I smiled at him though it was still a broken smile, I was glad we were both there to bring each other into the light again.

* * *

><p>After we both called our parents and told them the news of our loss, I called Doc, Bull, and Winters and explained to them what happened. They all reassured that they weren't going to tell the rest of Easy unless we wanted them to, so we asked them to wait. Doc was so certain as to drive out to see me and make sure that I was okay, but I had to talk to him for a good fifteen minutes to reassure him that I didn't want him to come out and take care of me: I had Joe for that. It took a bit, but he was fine with what I told him and he was still going to be there for me if I needed it. Summer came and went, and healing from the recent tragedy involved Joe and I making a trip back to Louisiana to see my parents and Owen.<p>

Owen gave me news that he was going to propose to Jane, and my parents were beyond happy to have another daughter in their lives, since they are beyond glad to have Joe as their son-in-law. Joe and I spent a long weekend with my family, all who were helping me through the pain and trying to get my positive spirits up again. I even made a side trip to see Doc, who just held me close for a solid 10 minutes and took my pain away. Just seeing the brokenness on his face when Joe and I pulled up to the house was enough for me to cry again. But he helped me in my healing, praying over me and soothing me once again. I was just glad to be home, and Joe could see that I needed this.

Months came and went, and the thought of the both of us trying for another baby went out the window. We both decided not to try, to let it happen as it may as we just went back to our jobs. I was glad to be back at work, helping out at the hospital. In the winter of 1945, I was promoted to one of the Head Nurses in the hospital, the Head Nurse in the Military Branch with the wounded and amputated. That was a good moment for me, and Joe was doing so well with his job at the cab company, always getting plenty of tips from his drives and bringing in good money. We were at peace again, and it was a beautiful peace.

Right after Christmas, two days after Joe and I came back from being with his family for Christmas, I found out I was pregnant and this time, I was terrified. I was only 10 weeks along, a week longer than I was before when I lost the baby. As soon as I found out, I then had a sinking feeling in my stomach, could I loose this one too? There was always a possibility, and as a nurse I wanted to make sure for certain that I was going to hold onto this one tightly and not let go.

I told Joe as soon as I came home from work, though I beat him to it since he walked through the door at least 15 minutes after I did. He looked worn out from work, but as soon as he saw the look on my face and how I was wrapping my arms around my stomach, he knew something was going on with me. I explained to him about me being pregnant, and he just held me in the middle of our living room, not like before when he was hugging me close and kissing me all over the face with vivid joy seen from him. But this time, he was way more intimate with me, just holding me there and not letting me go once. I held him back, the both of us realizing that we were going to get through this hurdle together.

I made it past the 1st trimester, seeing my belly growing bigger and bigger as the months flew by. I was getting bigger, much to my dismay and much to Joe's disagreement. I was still working at the Hospital, but now I was mostly behind a desk since I could not move around a whole lot. It was a bit miserable, since I was a woman who needed to be moving around instead of sitting down to have a good day. So this whole pregnancy was a test of my patience.

"It just sucks, you know? Having a stomach the size of a freakin' planet is making me wanna sit down more, and I hate it. It's torture." I said Joe as I was propped up on the couch, sitting with my 7-month-old belly sticking up from my body and my feet propped up on the coffee table after my shift that day. I changed into a large pajama shirt and boxer shorts, not even caring that I looked like I was ready for bed. Joe just smiled, talking over with two mugs of tea and placing one on the table, the other was placed in my hands as he then sat down next to me, the rays of sunlight coming through the living room window over the both of us as I took a long sip from the mug as my other hand was rubbing the side go the belly, in which the baby was giving me a hearty kick.

"I know it is, but hey you get to have the next two months off after your shift tomorrow, so get you come and relax at home." Joe reassured me, though I rolled my eyes.

"I don't want to sit in a bed for the next two months, that sounds more like torture," I argued with him, seeing him just smirk as he took his own sip from the mug, "I need to be moving around, not sitting on my ass so that I can get even bigger than I was before."

"Oh Christ, you're not_ that _big!" Joe countered with me, but I just gave him a death stare.

"Oh okay, next time you wanna carry around a child in your stomach that wants you to eat five times a day and make you feel like a cow, be my guest." I explained to him in a huff, then feeling another swift kick against my hand from my stomach, having me close my eyes briefly. I froze my hand there, having me see Joe take another sip from his tea and then look over at me with a hesitant stare.

"You okay?" He asked me, having me grab his hand and place it over the spot where the kick was.

"Your child is kicking me like crazy. I swear, I think he or she is going to be a football player." I explained to him, feeling another kick and seeing Joe's eyes go big from feeling it against the palm of his hand.

"Damn, that's a mean kick there. God I hope not a football player, maybe a boxer if he's lucky." Joe said to me.

"He? What if you have a daughter?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"Then I'll teach her how to box. Hell, I'll make sure our little girl knows how to defend herself when it comes to other guys." Joe explained to me in a smirk, having me laugh next to him and take one more sip from my tea. Joe then grabbed my tea from my hands, wrapping a arm around me and moving the hand from my belly to laced our fingers together, sitting it between the both of us, having me reach up to ruffle his hair as we were enjoying our moment together on the couch.

"You think I'll make a good dad?" He asked me in curiosity with a shrug of his shoulders.

"If you are anything like your own father, then you're going to be a great one." I explained to him truthfully, seeing him smile down at me and then look over at my swollen belly once more.

"It's just….it feels real now…you know? I mean, we've been talkin' about kids and having them since we were in Germany and how many kids we want…but now it's real for the both of us, mostly for me at least." He explained in more of a serious tone, having me grin at him and squeeze his hand in my own.

"I don't want to have any kids with anyone else but you," I reassured him, leaning up to kiss him on the lips and feel him kiss me back. Once I pulled away, I then gave him a snarky glare, "Besides, we did agree on having at least a dozen."

"And you still wanna have a dozen kids, after bitching already having this one giving you back pains and apparently making you fat?" He asked me in an amused tone. I glared at him.

"Well, now that you mention it…" I trailed off, hearing him chuckle and then give me a serious stare again.

"You are _not _that big, you are gorgeous. And secondly, you are far too stubborn for me to handle right now. So we are going to go on long walks and make sure you're not cranky at all for me because I do not want to deal with a cranky Marley Liebogtt." Joe explained to me, pouting his finger at me and having me slowly smile at him. He was far too good for me.

"Really?" I asked him sheepishly. He just smirked at me.

"If you haven't noticed for the past 5 years, I would do anything for ya."

* * *

><p>I woke up to the soft sound of the wind blowing into my room, and a soft shuffling of feet nearby. Blinking, I rubbed my eyes and then looked around me, seeing the brightness of the room come into my view. There was a closet, having me see both my own clothes and Joe's clothes, a dresser against the wall with some of our old army medals and memorabilia that was being held in a glass case against the wall, and other pieces of pictures and art that we collected up until this point. This was a peaceful room, our room, as I then saw someone walk into the light that was coming into the room from the early sunrise. I grinned, knowing that silhouette anywhere.<p>

"Good mornin', beautiful." Joe said to me, having me smiled from my spot on the bed as he then leaned over to hover over me on the bed, kissing my softly and having me hum against his lips and run one of my hands in his hair, feeling how soft it was.

"Good mornin' to you too." I replied against his lips, seeing him smile and then moving the sheet from me and placing his hand on my belly, which was slightly rounded and firm. I was wearing one of my old Camp Toccoa training shirts and plaid pajama pants. My hair was to my jawline at this point, wavy and soft.

"Good mornin' _Klein_." Joe said to my stomach, having me grin at him as he was looking at my rounded belly with such adoration. I rolled my eyes at his antics with our unborn child, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up to be in my eyesight again.

"Someone is in such good mood this morning." I explained to him as I saw the wide grin on his face and how he was carrying himself that morning. He just shrugged his shoulders, having me see that he was once again trying to avoid me gaze and be playful.

"Hey, I can't help but have a good morning with the love of my life." Joe replied back to me soothingly, having me see him lean forward to touch my jaw with his fingers and then go onto the bed to hover over me. I just grinned, shaking my head from his antics.

"I know you far too well." I said back in a soft tone, feeling him kiss me again and I kissed him back. He pressed into me gently, hovering over me and running his fingers in my hair and over my body as we were having our own small moment together in our bed. It's always been like this, early in the morning and greeting each other in such a way that we felt like the only two people in the world. But it was short-lived, like always, when we heard a faint cry from the other room in the house. Joe groaned, dropping his head to my shoulder and I just sighed.

"Just in time, I swear she's on a freaking timeline when she wants to wake up." I breathed into his hair, seeing him shake his head against my own and then looked up at me, the annoyance on his face as the cry was heard again, wanting attention.

"I'll get her before she wakes up the boys. That'll be hell." Joe muttered to me, sneaking in one more kiss before he got up from the bed. I grabbed his arm, feeling him help me get up as I placed my feet on the hardwood floor and ruffling my short hair.

"I'll get her, you go get breakfast ready before the boys start a riot." I said back to him, seeing him nod his head and give me one more kiss before he went off out of the room. I followed, watching him for a moment before he went down the stairs, leaving me to go to our daughter's nursery that was across the hall.

Our daughter, named Josephine, was about to be 2 years old next month and she looked just like her father: Brown hair and the same nose that Joe had. Her face was warm and round, bright green eyes and a few freckles across her cheeks already. She was her father's daughter: already having a bit of an attitude about her but was none the less kind and gentle. She was beautiful, beyond that. I could see how Joe looked at her after she was born: the same way he would look at me. He was in love with her, and I think it was more than me.

"Come here my love." I cooed to her, seeing her grab at me with her chubby fingers and I scooped her up in my arms, placing her on my hips and hearing her giggle from me blowing at her face with silliness. I walked with her out of the nursery, down the hall and over to the boy's room. Opening the door slightly, I saw my two sons playing together on the floor, both of them engrossed with a comic book and were talking about it back and forth with one another.

"No way, Henry! Flash Gordon can totally beat him!" My eldest son argued with his brother, being the 7-year-old who thinks he knows all there ever was: totally Joe of course. He looked just like his face, from his nose to his ears and the hair he had. It made me think that Joe would have looked like this when he was 7 years old.

"Oh, come on, Oliver!" Henry was about to start with him, though he was gentler and had a kinder heart compared to his rough around the edges brother. Even as a baby he was very gentle and caring, not too hard to handle or fuss with.

"Boys, get ready for school. Your father's making breakfast for you so please get ready for him." I called to the both of them, seeing their heads snap over at me and freeze from their fight on the floor. Oliver, my eldest at 7 had a mixture of my hair and Joe's hair with my dark green eyes. Henry was more ginger and had Joe's dark brown eyes.

"_Frühstück!_" Henry said aloud in his German, having me grin from hearing him use his German nicely. Joe was teaching them small phrases and words in German, and Henry caught it the most as Oliver was more prone to my French and what I was using with them.

"_Oui, venez_." I said to the both of them, seeing them bolt up and go to their dressers, grabbing their shirt as I walked out with Josephine still in my arms, who was squirming in my arms from not having the attention on her. I grinned from seeing her move around in my arms as I walked down the stairs, hearing the sizzling of the kitchen food being made and hearing the soft sounds of the morning coming through the house.

"Did you have nice dreams, _file?" _I asked Josephine, who just cooed in my arms as I then made our way over to the kitchen to the back of the house. Walking in through the archway. I saw Joe at the stove, flipping pancakes and humming to himself as he was hard to work at the food. Joe loved to make pancakes in the morning for the boys, and who was I to stand in his way? Archer, who was now 10 years old, was sleeping on the kitchen floor with his head on his front paws, not moving and just sleeping soundly.

"Here's your little nugget." I said to Joe, seeing him look over his shoulder and smile as he saw our daughter and my holding her. As soon as Josephine saw her father, she giggle and reached out to him, opening and closing her hands in a rapid pace as I walked over to him. Joe grinned from ear to ear, placing the last pancake from the pan on the plate and then taking out daughter in his arms, kissing both of her cheeks.

"Here's the most beautiful girl." He said to her sweetly, nuzzling into her and Josephine giggling. Joe then looked over at me, having him see me glare at him playfully.

"You're my first love Marley. But come on, can you really say no to this face?" He asked me in a grin, showing me our daughter who was blowing bubbles on her lips. I laughed from hearing him, but then we both heard the sound of two pairs of set running down the hallway and to the kitchen, Archer even waking up and looking up as well with curiosity.

"Brace yourself, your sons are excited for your cooking." I warned my husband as he kissed Josephine on the head and placed her on the high chair. I grabbed the plate of pancakes and placing them on the table as the footsteps getting louder and at more of a rapid pace.

"I can't wait until they are going to slow down." Joe muttered to me with a grin as he got a plate of cereal in front of Josephine as I grabbed the milk from our fridge.

"And that will be when?" I asked him in a coy tone, seeing him about to answer me, but we then heard the sounds of the footsteps stop at the archway to the kitchen. We both looked, seeing both of our boys in their school clothes and they were waiting to come into the kitchen and start their meal. It was a rule: they would wait until we were ready for them to enter the kitchen. Joe grinned at them, then at me as I got the last of the plates out on the table.

"Come on." Joe said to his sons, the both of them walking in calmly and then sitting at their spots. I sat with them, ruffling Henry's red hair with my fingers as Joe sat with Oliver and Josephine. We folded our hand and prayed for the day, having me open my eyes briefly as Joe was reciting the prayer, looking at both of our sons and seeing them pray as well. My mother was proud enough that we were making them go to mass and praying at the meals, and Joe's mother was too was glad we were doing this to her grandchildren.

"Amen." Joe ended, all of us crossing ourselves before we ate our food. The morning was like any other morning, Oliver and Henry asking their father questions about Flash Gordon and Joe would answer them, then the boys asking me if I saw anything gross at the hospital and I would reply with maybe. I loved morning with my sons and husband, along with my daughter in which Oliver would try and have her say simple words.

"So, I just talked to Uncle Eugene on the phone from Louisiana." I said to Oliver and Henry, having the both of them look over at me with big grins on their faces. Doc was an extended family member to our house, hang me call him Uncle Eugene to them now. But he was more than that, since he was the Godfather to Oliver. Henry's Godfather was Bull, and Josephine's Godfather was Luz, and his wife Delvina was her Godmother.

"Is he coming? Like you said he would?" Henry asked me aloud in wonder and excitement in his voice. I grinned at them both since they were waiting for some kind of answer. Joe even grinned as he was helping Josephine with her cereal.

"He is," I answered, hearing both of the boys cheer slightly and then eat more of their pancakes, "And he has promised to come with us to the baseball game the night he comes." They were beaming at this point as Joe looked at his watch.

"Finish up boys. I have to get you to school and then I gotta get to work." Joe told them both, having me see the both of them wolf down their pancakes and then drink their milk in under two minutes. Sometimes they would race each other to see who would finish first. After they got their meals down, they both got up and ran up to their rooms to grab their backpacks as Joe cleared the table quickly.

"I'm gonna ask the boss today if I can be shifted over to the other side of town for work. It's a pain in the ass with the shift I have in the downtown area." Joe explained to me as I helped him with the dishes.

"He'll listen, I know he likes you," I added to him, rubbing his back as he was standing at the sink with his hands rubbing his eyes, "And I'm going to take Josephine over to work since they want me to inspect the employees that they hired for our branch of the hospital."

"Why don't you take her to my mom's?" Joe asked me, looking at me with confusion.

"She's going to see Jakub and she's taking care of Bethany for the day since she's still sick with pneumonia." I replied back, seeing him sigh and nod his head.

"That's right, I forgot. Shit, I'm getting old." Joe sighed in frustration, having me shake my head and rub his back with my knuckles in a soothing motion.

"You're not getting old, _cheri_. You're just becoming senile," I explained calmly to him, seeing him now glare at me as I shrugged my shoulders, "There's a difference." I grinned at him, leaning over to kiss him and he kissed me back softly.

"Besides, you're still good looking for an old man." I added as I moved away from him and over to Josephine, who was about to fuss from being left alone and un-entertained. I scooped her up as the boys got back down with their own bags. Joe left the kitchen as I followed, all four of us meeting at the hallway in front of the front door. I looked down at both of my sons with a smile on my face, seeing them look more handsome as the days went by.

"Behave at school. And Oliver, I hope I don't get another note from your teacher about you trying it play fight in the yard again." I warned my eldest, since nowadays he was prone to wanting to play a little too hard with the other boys at his school.

"Yes mom." He replied back, knowing that I meant business. I then held out my sign for _I love you_ to the both of them, seeing it back with their child's hands.

"Do I love you?" I asked him, the same question I have asked them every morning before they would go to school. It was a tradition that I would use them since I wanted them to know that I did love them, more than they would ever know and more than myself.

"Indeed you do." They both replied in unison, but they smiled at me as I kissed both of their foreheads and they shuffled out to the yellow cab in the front of the house: Joe's cab. Joe watched them climb in the backseat as he looked back at me, the infamous smirk on his face as I watched him. He was still beyond handsome for his age, no long young and reckless but older and still on the cocky side. As he got older, he wasn't as lanky anymore but got more meat behind his bony jaw and cheeks. I loved him more and more as the years came and went with our two boys and a little girl, and with the new child on the way since I was only 5 months along.

"Do you know I love you?" He asked me, leaning close to me as he was grinned from ear to ear. We always reminded each other of our love for once another, it was something we have always done because we both knew we needed it. Even as the nightmares came every once in awhile, seeing the images of blood and war coming over us in the dead of night after years and years of not being in the war, we still had to tell each other that we were in love and nothing was going to break that. I kissed him squarely on the mouth, smiling through the kiss and getting the same feeling in my stomach that I got when we first kissed: butterflies.

"Indeed I do." I replied, seeing him sign to me _I love you_ before he walked over to the cab with our two boys, driving them to school and then off to work. I stood there on the porch with Josephine in my arms, seeing them drive off to the city and having me smile against the morning breeze that was coming through the house and hill, the sun on my skin and I breathed out.

All was well in my world.

**The End. **


	43. Author's Note

Thanks for reading the story you guys! This story is **officially all done**! I'm going to read it over and over and make sure I got all of the spelling and grammar down to a T. AND I'm going to consider writing another BOB story with Eugene Roe as the main squeeze since he is my second favorite behind Liebgott. Let me know how you liked the story, any tips you wanna leave me and if you want a Eugene Roe story from BOB.

Thanks again for reading and the feedback. I would not have gone on with writing this piece of work without your reviews and optimism! you guys are the best and I thank you wholeheartedly.


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